allegation
al-uh-GAY-shun
/ˌæl.əˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
A claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically made without proof.
An allegation remains unproven until substantiated by evidence in court.
The story behind the word. From Latin allegare, meaning to dispatch or produce evidence. Over time, in legal usage, it came to signify claims brought forward in court that require proof before being accepted as truth.
Word relationships
- assertion: Assertion is any confident statement, not necessarily regarding legal wrongdoing.
- accusation: Accusation directly blames someone for a wrongdoing or crime.
- proof: Proof is evidence establishing a fact beyond question.
Commonly confused with
- charge: An allegation is an unverified claim; a charge is a formal legal claim filed by authority.
Word family
- allege (verb): To claim that someone has done something wrong without proof.
- alleged (adjective): Said to have happened but not proven.
Collocations
- deny allegations
- unfounded allegation
- serious allegation
Example sentences
- "The attorney forcefully rejected every allegation made in the lawsuit." Legal Defense
- "An independent investigation was launched following allegations of financial fraud." Corporate Crisis
Memory hook
ALLEGATION = ALL YOU SAY before proof is given. Unproven claim of wrongdoing = Allegation.
When not to use
Do not use for established facts that have already been proven.
Fun facts
- News organizations use 'alleged' rigorously to avoid defamation lawsuits prior to court verdicts.
Explore more words
allege, unsubstantiated, substantiate, suspect, hearsay, alibi
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