allegation

[ al-i-gey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of alleging; affirmation.

   Synonyms: contention, claim, accusation, charge

2. an assertion made with little or no proof.

   Synonyms: contention, claim, accusation, charge

3. an assertion made by a party in a legal proceeding, which the party then undertakes to prove.
4. a statement offered as a plea, excuse, or justification.

allegation

/ ˌælɪˈɡeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of alleging
2. an unproved statement or assertion, esp one in an accusation

Other Words From

• misal·le·gation noun
• nonal·le·gation noun
• preal·le·gation noun
• real·le·gation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of allegation¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin allēgātiōn- (stem of allēgātiō ), equivalent to allēgāt ( us ), past participle of allēgāre to adduce in support of a plea ( al- al- + -lēgāre, derivative of lēx law; legal ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

The BJP denies the allegation and state chief ministers have linked demolitions with their tough stance on crime.

From BBC

Another woman said they believe if Player X had been suspended after the first allegation she would not have gone on to be sexually assaulted.

From BBC

"If they had decided to take the first allegation seriously... if they had suspended him, I never would have been in that situation that I was in that day," she told the BBC.

From BBC

Seth Bluestein, the Republican City Commissioner in Philadelphia, posted on X: "There is absolutely no truth to this allegation. It is yet another example of disinformation. Voting in Philadelphia has been safe and secure."

From BBC

The boss was also investigated in 2021 after an allegation that he sexually abused a different 15-year-old in the 1990s.

From BBC

Related Words

• accusation
• charge
• claim
• plea
• statement