suspicion.

A belief, not yet established, that someone or something may be harmful, dishonest, or wrong.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• arouse suspicion
• growing suspicion
• suspicion of foul play

On the page

The sealed exit aroused her suspicion.

His suspicion that someone had entered the flat grew when he found the wet footprints.

They treated the stranger’s generosity with suspicion, not open hostility.

Usage notes

Primary category: fear. More propositional than unease: it points toward a possible explanation. Suspicion is not proof and need not be irrational. Usually uncountable in this sense. Count plural: suspicions. Derived family (not additional inflections or records): suspicious.