suspicion
[noun]
Synonyms:
- distrust, doubt, dubiety, misgiving, mistrust, qualm, scepticism, wariness
- idea, guess, hunch, impression, notion
- trace, hint, shade, soupçon, streak, suggestion, tinge, touch

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Related Words: apprehension, foreboding, misgiving, presentiment, distrust

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

sus‧pi‧cion W3 /səˈspɪʃən/ noun
[Word Family: adjective: suspect, suspected, unsuspecting, suspicious; noun: suspect, suspicion; verb: suspect; adverb: suspiciously]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Latin; Origin: suspicio, from suspicere; ⇒ suspect¹]

1. [uncountable and countable] a feeling you have that someone is probably guilty of doing something wrong or dishonest:
I can’t say for definite who did it, but I certainly have my suspicions.
Police suspicions were confirmed when the stolen property was found in his flat.
I wondered how I could leave early without arousing anyone’s suspicions.
on suspicion of (doing) something
She was arrested on suspicion of murder.
under suspicion
He felt he was still under suspicion.
Mitchell later came under suspicion of assaulting two young girls.
above/beyond suspicion
She felt that she ought to be above suspicion (=so honest that no one could think that she had done anything wrong).

2. [uncountable and countable] a feeling that you do not trust someone:
She always treated us with suspicion.
People moving into the area are often regarded with suspicion.

3. [countable] a feeling you have that something is true, especially something bad
suspicion (that)
I have a suspicion that the local authority may be planning to close the school.
She was left with a sneaking suspicion (=a small suspicion) that Steven was not telling the truth.

4. a suspicion of something formal a very small amount of something that you can only just see, hear, or taste:
I could see the faintest suspicion of a tear in her eyes.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

suspicion
noun
I. belief that sb has done sth wrong or that sth is true
ADJ. strong There is strong suspicion on both sides that information is being withheld.
the slightest, vague I don't think he had the slightest suspicion anything was wrong.
awful, dark, horrible, nagging, nasty, sneaking, terrible, worst I have a nasty suspicion he's organized a surprise party for me. My worst suspicions were realized when I received my redundancy notice.
lingering | growing | groundless, unfounded Our suspicions turned out to be groundless.
widespread | initial
VERB + SUSPICION entertain, harbour, have We had our suspicions as to who did it, but nothing could be proved.
be/come/fall under He fell under suspicion of tax evasion.
arouse, cast, cause, create, fuel, give rise to, invite, raise, sow Parked vehicles that arouse suspicion should be reported to the police. information that casts suspicion on one of the most powerful figures in the party Their suspicions were further fuelled when both men failed to turn up to the appointment. odd behaviour that invites suspicion
avoid | confide, share She confided her suspicions to no one but her diary.
confirm, justify A telephone call confirmed my worst suspicions.
realize | allay, dispel She was anxious to allay any suspicion that she had married for money.
SUSPICION + VERB exist The suspicion exists that Harries is stealing money from the company safe.
linger, remain | grow | attach to sb, fall on sb Strong suspicion attached to the victim's boyfriend.
PREP. above/beyond ~ They thought the head teacher was beyond suspicion.
on ~ of arrested on suspicion of bribery
~ about/as to/concerning his suspicions about the candidate's background
~ against Suspicions against the former prime minister remain.
PHRASES the finger of suspicion The finger of suspicion pointed to Gilbert Cash, a close friend of the victim.
grounds for suspicion The police must have reasonable grounds for suspicion before they can get a search warrant.
an object of suspicion Boys were an immediate object of suspicion to her.
under a cloud of suspicion He ended his athletics career under a cloud of suspicion when he refused to take a drug test.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

suspicion
II. absence of trust
ADJ. considerable, deep, grave, great | mutual an atmosphere of mutual suspicion
VERB + SUSPICION regard/treat/view sb/sth with They viewed the new scheme with great suspicion.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

suspicion
III. small amount of sth
ADJ. faint, slightest Her remarks lacked even the faintest suspicion of humour.
PREP. ~ of His mouth quivered in the suspicion of a smile.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

suspicion

have your suspicions
Many of us had our suspicions, but we couldn't prove anything.
confirm somebody's suspicions (=show that someone's suspicions were right)
The letter confirmed my suspicions.
arouse suspicion (=make people think that someone has done something wrong)
How was he able to kill his victims without arousing suspicion?
raise suspicions (=make people think that someone has done something wrong)
That fact immediately raised suspicions of Johnson's involvement in the incident.
be/come under suspicion (=be thought to have probably done something wrong)
He was still under suspicion of fraud.
allay suspicion formal (=make people stop having suspicions)
She had to allay their suspicions and stop them probing any further.
divert suspicion (=make people have suspicions about someone else)
He started the rumour to divert suspicion from himself.
suspicion falls on somebody
Suspicion fell on Jenkins who had been seen near the scene of the crime.
grounds for suspicion (=reasons for suspicion)
Police can stop and search you if they have good grounds for suspicion.
be above/beyond suspicion (=be so honest that you are never thought to have done something wrong)
He regarded his friend Henry as being above suspicion.
have a suspicion
I have a suspicion that he forgot to post the letter.
suspicion grew
Suspicion grew that the business was about to collapse.
a strong suspicion
She had a strong suspicion he was laughing at her.
a sneaking suspicion (=a small suspicion)
We have a sneaking suspicion they're trying to put together a deal.
a nasty/awful suspicion
Suddenly I had a nasty suspicion that the boss was going to make me redundant.
the slightest suspicion
Daniel never had the slightest suspicion of how she really felt.
a nagging suspicion (=one that you have all the time)
I had a nagging suspicion that Colin wasn't telling me the whole truth.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

suspicion
səsˈpɪʃən
See: above suspicion

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲