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

Many of the lawsuits alleged abuse going back decades against priests who were allegedly allowed to victimize parishioners with impunity. —Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

Legal proceedings include a complaint filed by H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, alleging breach of a tail financing provision, with Organovo defending these claims vigorously. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024

Oscarsson alleged a history of domestic violence between DeLao and Torres. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Perhaps most egregious, the ACLU alleges, is that police did nothing to stop this. —Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 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