allege

verb

al·​lege ə-ˈlej 

alleged; alleging

transitive verb

1

: to assert without proof or before proving

a report alleging that the company deliberately overcharged its customers

She is alleged to have stolen more than $50,000 over the course of several years.

2

: to bring forward as a reason or excuse

3

archaic : to adduce or bring forward as a source or authority

Did you know?

These days, someone alleges something before presenting evidence to prove it (or perhaps without evidence at all). But the word allege comes directly from the Middle English verb alleggen, meaning "to submit (something) in evidence or as justification." (Alleggen traces back to the Anglo-French word aleger, meaning "to lighten, free, or exculpate.") Our word has at times in the past carried a meaning closer to that of its ancestor's: it was once applied when bringing someone or something forward as a source or authority in court, as in "a text alleged in support of the argument." The word has also been used to mean "to bring forward as a reason or excuse," as in these lines from Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel Jane Eyre: "I did not like to walk at this hour alone with Mr. Rochester in the shadowy orchard; but I could not find a reason to allege for leaving him."

Synonyms

• affirm
• assert
• aver
• avouch
• avow
• claim
• contend
• declare
• insist
• maintain
• profess
• protest
• purport
• warrant

Examples of allege in a Sentence

He alleged that the mayor has accepted bribes.

The mayor is alleged to have accepted bribes.

You allege that she stole a large quantity of money. Do you have any proof?

Recent Examples on the Web

The documentary, released in 2022, alleged that the 2020 election results were affected by thousands of people who were paid to collect ballots in swing states, including Georgia, where Mark Andrews was filmed dropping off five ballots in a box. —Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Dec. 2024

The suit alleges that NCAA transgender eligibility policies violate Title IX and the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024

Feliciano went free in September 2019, and early this year became embroiled in another deadly confrontation — once again taking the life of a man trying to keep the peace, prosecutors allege. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 2 Dec. 2024

According to the outlet, HMRC began investigating Grint's 2012 tax return in 2019, and alleged at the time that the actor had wrongly classified £4.5 million in income from Harry Potter DVD sales, TV syndication, streaming rights and other sources in an attempt to pay a lower tax rate. —Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alleggen to submit in evidence or as justification, adduce, from Anglo-French aleger, allegger, probably in part modification of Medieval Latin allegare, from Latin, to send as a representative, adduce in support of a plea (from ad- + legare to depute), in part from Anglo-French aleger to lighten, free, exculpate, from Late Latin alleviare to relieve — more at legate, alleviate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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Kids Definition

allege

verb

al·​lege ə-ˈlej 

alleged; alleging

1

: to state as a fact but without proof

allege a person's guilt

2

: to offer as a reason or excuse

allege illness to avoid work

alleged

ə-ˈlejd

-ˈlej-əd

adjective

allegedly

ə-ˈlej-əd-lē

adverb

Legal Definition

allege

transitive verb

al·​lege ə-ˈlej 

alleged; alleging

1

: to state without proof or before proving

2

: to state (as a fact) in a pleading : aver

Etymology

Old French alegier to alleviate, free, confused with Old French alleguer to allege, from Medieval Latin allegare see allegata