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suspicion

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verb

chiefly dialect

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun suspicion differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suspicion are doubt, dubiety, mistrust, skepticism, and uncertainty. While all these words mean "lack of sureness about someone or something," suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

When would doubt be a good substitute for suspicion?

The words doubt and suspicion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

When is dubiety a more appropriate choice than suspicion?

Although the words dubiety and suspicion have much in common, dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

When is it sensible to use mistrust instead of suspicion?

The words mistrust and suspicion can be used in similar contexts, but mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

When can skepticism be used instead of suspicion?

In some situations, the words skepticism and suspicion are roughly equivalent. However, skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

In what contexts can uncertainty take the place of suspicion?

The synonyms uncertainty and suspicion are sometimes interchangeable, but uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suspicion
Noun
Trump’s vision stems from the right-wing anticommunist movements of the 1950s, which pitted the West against its enemies, drew on religious motifs, and harbored a suspicion of American liberalism as too soft, too postnational, and too secular to protect the country. Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 Burba was consumed by his suspicion that, before the arrests, an official in Zelensky’s office had tipped off Lukashenko, perhaps thinking that Belarus could be persuaded to hand over the mercenaries to Ukraine—no complicated sting operation required. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 She’s hurt by a lover’s betrayal, but more hurt that her suspicions of his disloyal nature were proven right from the beginning. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2025 In recent years, multiple undersea cable breaks in the Baltic Sea have raised suspicions of sabotage, heightening regional security concerns. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suspicion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspicion
Noun
  • There's little doubt that AI will play an increasingly more prominent role in employee engagement, well-being and development.
    Kevin Korte, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • There’s little doubt that Ohtani will be back in the 2026 WBC with the Japanese team that is ranked first in the world.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Here are some hints for today’s Quordle game, followed by the answers: What Are Today’s Quordle Hints?
    Kris Holt, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Our seven-part guide has helpful hints to achieve better sleep. CNN — I’m captivated by my new personal health tracker, a Christmas gift from my husband.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Hackman, whose pacemaker activity made his last day alive easier to guess, likely died a week later.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Avoid guessing or making up a story that misrepresents the financial facts.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • At the same time, skepticism remains, with industry leaders such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang cautioning that meaningful commercial quantum applications could still be decades away.
    Dr. Ekta Dang, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The decision was met with skepticism by some passengers, with many questioning the severity of the situation, Davenport says.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • His win is a glimmer of hope for those who don’t live in mansions but just want to make movies.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Mar. 2025
  • No Other Land, about the destruction of a West Bank community, offers a glimmer of hope in the bond between an Israeli and a Palestinian.
    Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • So until another shoe drops — assuming there will be another shoe — this deal feels somewhat incomplete for the Penguins.
    Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The regulatory process in California could take up to a year, assuming that Tesla’s technology proves to be safe, Smith said.
    Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Artists and arts organizations have expressed concerns that the uncertainty around funding eligibility will discourage applications altogether.
    Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 10 Mar. 2025
  • For The Neighborhood, the uncertainty over its future stemmed from its cost.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • After being made aware of her video, Monadnock Food Co-op had to issue a recall and refunds for their organic red quinoa, organic white quinoa, organic tri-color quinoa, organic cornmeal, organic polenta, organic coconut shreds, and their raw walnuts.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The affected products include quinoa, cornmeal, polenta, coconut shreds and walnuts.
    Terry Dickerson, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suspicion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspicion. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

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