allegedly

[ uh-lej-id-lee ]

adverb

1. according to what is or has been alleged. alleged.

allegedly

/ əˈlɛdʒɪdlɪ /

adverb

1. reportedly; supposedly

   payments allegedly made to a former colleague

2. sentence modifier it is alleged that

interjection

1. an exclamation expressing disbelief or scepticism

Usage

In recent years it has become common for speakers to include allegedly in statements that are controversial or possibly even defamatory. The implication is that, by saying allegedly , the speaker is distancing himself or herself from the controversy and even protecting himself or herself from possible prosecution. However, the effect created may be deliberate. The use of allegedly can be a signal that, although the statement may seem outrageous, it is in fact true: He was drunk at work. Allegedly. Conversely, it is also possible to use allegedly as an expression of ironic scepticism: He's a hard worker. Allegedly

Other Words From

• unal·leged·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of allegedly¹

First recorded in 1870–75; alleged + -ly

Example Sentences

But after his arrest this week by federal authorities, neighbors learned that Martinez was allegedly an alias.

From Los Angeles Times

“The Jalisco Cartel — one of the world’s most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations — is weaker today because of the tenacious efforts of law enforcement to track down and arrest a cartel leader who allegedly faked his own death and assumed a false identity to evade justice and live a life of luxury in California,” Deputy Atty.

From Los Angeles Times

Gutierrez-Ochoa allegedly kidnapped two members of the Mexican Navy around November 2021 in an attempt to secure the release of his mother-in-law, El Mencho’s wife, who had been arrested by Mexican authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

Here you can see him touting an alleged innovation in hot tub technology that the company had allegedly facilitated:

From Slate

Ex-Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and some of his closest allies have been formally accused of allegedly plotting a coup, after he lost the 2022 presidential election.

From BBC

Related Words

• purportedly
• supposedly