- 1[transitive, intransitive] to have an idea that something is probably true or likely to happen, especially something bad, but without having definite proof suspect (something) If you suspect a gas leak, do not strike a match or even turn on an electric light. Suspecting nothing, he walked right into the trap. I didn't want the neighbors to suspect anything. As I had suspected all along, he was not a real policeman. suspect (that)… I began to suspect (that) they were trying to get rid of me. I suspect (that) she might be lying. it is suspected that… It was suspected that the drugs had been brought into the country by boat. suspect somebody/something to be/have something She suspected him to be an impostor.
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- 2[transitive] suspect something to be suspicious about something; to not trust something I suspected her motives in offering to help.
- 3[transitive] to have an idea that someone is guilty of something, without having definite proof suspect somebody/something of something He resigned after being suspected of theft. suspect somebody/something of doing something I suspected her of damaging the equipment. The drug is suspected of causing over 200 deaths. suspect somebody/something Whom do the police suspect?
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NAmE//səˈspɛkt//
(not used in the progressive tenses)Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they suspect he / she / it suspects
past simple suspected
a suspected outbreak of smallpox suspected tax evasion suspected terrorists suspect verbsuspected adjectivesuspicion nounsuspicious adjectivesuspiciously adverbsuspect noun adjectiveSee suspect in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: suspect