suspicion

/səˈspɪʃən/

/səˈspɪʃən/

Other forms: suspicions

Suspicion is a feeling that something might be true. If your friends seem to be keeping a secret from you, you might have a suspicion that they are planning a surprise party for your birthday.

Suspicion can mean the same as hunch or inkling, like when you have a suspicion that your friend is hiding a flower bouquet behind his back. Suspicion comes from the Latin word suspicere, or mistrust. That's why it can mean a general bad feeling about someone or something, like neighbors who regard all new people with suspicion until they get to know them.

Definitions of suspicion

1. noun

   an impression that something might be the case
   synonyms: hunch, intuition

   types:

   bosom, heart

   the locus of feelings and intuitions

   type of:

   belief, feeling, impression, notion, opinion

   a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
2. noun

   the state of being suspected
   “he tried to shield me from suspicion”

   types:

   cloud

   suspicion affecting your reputation

   type of:

   antagonism, enmity, hostility

   a state of deep-seated ill-will
3. noun

   doubt about someone's honesty
   synonyms: distrust, misgiving, mistrust

   type of:

   doubt, doubtfulness, dubiety, dubiousness, incertitude, uncertainty

   the state of being unsure of something
4. noun

   being of a suspicious nature
   synonyms: suspiciousness

   type of:

   distrust, distrustfulness, mistrust

   the trait of not trusting others