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

Ryan, who owns tens of thousands of TikTok shares, has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board that alleges the company’s non-disparagement clause in its shareholder agreement violates employees’ right to unionize, constituting an unfair labor practice. —Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024

Specifically, it is alleged that Donald Trump made or caused false business records to hide the true nature of payments made to Michael Cohen, by characterizing them as payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a retainer agreement. —Graham Kates, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2024

The lawsuit alleges that payments were made from Trump's flagship Trump Organization to Michael Cohen, then a vice president and counsel at the company. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024

Another civil lawsuit alleging abuse by a contractor––against two psychologists who designed CIA torture techniques––settled in 2017 just before going to trial, resulting in damage awards for the victims or their families. —Mallory Moench, TIME, 14 Apr. 2024

Prosecutors allege Trump reimbursed his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 hush money payment through a series of checks, falsely labeling them as payments for legal services. —Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024

The lawsuit alleges that the regulation violates the Second Amendment and 14th Amendment and should be overturned. —Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024

School districts across Arizona have also joined schools nationwide in suing the owners of TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, alleging the social media giants have knowingly contributed to a mental health crisis among their students and forced them to divert resources to address it. —The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024

There is a range of harms and heartbreak alleged in the filings. —Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 13 Apr. 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