Word
allege
Meanings
to claim that someone did something wrong or illegal, without proof being established
to state that something is true, especially when it has not been verified
Definition
To allege something is to claim that it is true, often without presenting proof.
To allege means to say that someone did something wrong or that something happened, especially in a formal context such as news reports or court cases. The speaker often does not provide full evidence, or the claim has not been proven yet. It is frequently used to show that an accusation is being reported rather than confirmed.
Examples
- Investigators allege that the fire was started deliberately, but the final report is still pending.
- She will allege discrimination in her complaint, even though she knows it will be difficult to prove.
- They allege that the data was altered after the meeting, so the committee ordered an independent review.
- I did not allege that he lied; I only said his account did not match the timeline.
- The article alleges misconduct, yet it provides no clear evidence beyond anonymous sources.
Common mistake
Learners often use "allege" as if it means "prove," but it only means "claim," usually without confirmed evidence.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.