allegedly

USAGE SUMMARY

"allegedly" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when you are citing an unverified claim; for example, "He allegedly stole the money from his coworker."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was unarmed, but had allegedly been throwing rocks at traffic.

The Guardian

Just before Easter, News Corp Australia reached a confidential settlement with the human rights lawyer George Newhouse over an allegedly defamatory article by its star columnist and host of Ten's The Bolt Report, Andrew Bolt.

The Guardian

The gang allegedly carried out up to 20 abortions a day.

The Guardian

In another, a group of Ukip-supporting men in Ramsgate allegedly abused voters of other parties as "scum".

The Guardian

Axact employees operating a boiler room-style operation also allegedly posed as US officials to bully potential customers into paying thousands of dollars for worthless accreditation.

The Guardian

The documents handed over to HMRC allegedly show how Google's London sales staff would negotiate and sign contracts with British customers, and cash was paid into a UK bank account, but the deals were technically booked through its Dublin office to minimise its liabilities here.

The Guardian - Tech

Related: Mexican man dies during violent police response to teachers protest in Acapulco Six people died and 43 others disappeared last September when a bus convoy carrying a party of student teachers was attacked by municipal police officers, allegedly in league with a local drug cartel.

The Guardian

The incident allegedly happened on one of last Saturday's services run by Arriva Trains Wales.

The Guardian

The Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos is to appear before the New South Wales corruption watchdog on Thursday to give evidence about his role at an Obeid-linked company allegedly used to funnel taxpayers' money to the Liberal party.

The Guardian

Roozendaal allegedly later texted her: "Can you call me back before we both do something we'll regret".

The Guardian

This article replaces a previous version which wrongly stated that the SFO had "decided against" pursuing the Conservative party for return of funds allegedly stolen from the Polly Peck group by Asil Nadir.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "allegedly", ensure you are reporting on an allegation rather than stating it as a fact. This protects you from potential legal repercussions and maintains journalistic integrity.

Common error

Avoid using "allegedly" when you personally believe something to be true. This word is specifically for reporting claims that have not been proven.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "allegedly" serves to qualify a statement as an allegation or unproven claim. It is used to attribute information to a source without asserting its truth, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples. The word is used to maintain neutrality and avoid legal liability when reporting on unverified information.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adverb "allegedly" is a crucial tool for responsible reporting, used to convey unproven claims without endorsing them as facts. As Ludwig highlights, this term appears most frequently in news and media contexts. Remember to use "allegedly" to modify verbs and distance yourself from the truth of the statement, and always ensure you're reporting on an actual allegation. By doing so, you maintain neutrality and credibility in your writing. Using "allegedly" correctly, separates fact from speculation, and therefore demonstrates careful communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reportedly

Emphasizes that the information comes from a report, which may or may not be verified.

purportedly

Suggests the information is presented as fact, but its truth is uncertain.

supposedly

Indicates the information is commonly believed, though potentially without firm evidence.

ostensibly

Highlights a stated or apparent reason or fact, that might conceal the true one.

professedly

Indicates something is openly declared or claimed, though potentially insincerely.

by all accounts

Signifies information gathered from multiple sources, which still might not be definitively confirmed.

it is said that

Introduces a piece of information as something generally rumored or spoken about, without specified sources.

as rumor has it

Indicates the information is based on unofficial or unconfirmed sources, such as gossip or hearsay.

the claim is that

Signals a statement that is being presented as a possibility, even though it might not be true.

it is believed that

Acknowledges a widespread, although potentially unfounded, view or assumption.

FAQs

How do you use "allegedly" in a sentence?

Use "allegedly" to indicate that a statement is an unproven claim. For example, "The suspect "allegedly stole" the car", indicating that the theft has not been proven in court.

What's the difference between "allegedly" and "reportedly"?

"Allegedly" indicates an unproven accusation, while "reportedly" suggests the information comes from a specific report or source. The nuance is that "reportedly" implies a source, while allegedly simply notes an unproven claim.

What can I say instead of "allegedly"?

You can use alternatives like ""reportedly"", "purportedly", or "supposedly" depending on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "alleged" or "allegedly"?

Use "alleged" as an adjective before a noun (e.g., "the alleged crime") and "allegedly" as an adverb to modify a verb (e.g., "he allegedly committed the crime").