arouse suspicion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "arouse suspicion" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to express a possible feeling that something is wrong or suspicious about a situation. Example: When I heard about the large sum of money missing from the company's accounts, it started to arouse suspicion.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Ordinarily this is sufficient to arouse suspicion.

The Guardian - Sport

Still, little that Amazon does fails to arouse suspicion.

The New York Times - Books

Very long books do tend to arouse suspicion.

The Guardian - Opinion

To S.E.C. investigators, that in itself would arouse suspicion.

The New York Times

A new start?Jun 20th 2002Yet Mr Giscard d'Estaing continues to arouse suspicion on all sides.

The Economist

This must be done quietly, so as not to arouse suspicion and drive up prices.

The Economist

He even feigned an American accent so as not to arouse suspicion.

The Guardian - Sport

The men avoided high-payoff tickets that required any I.R.S. paperwork, careful not to arouse suspicion.

The New York Times - Sports

Nobody at Disney was permitted to dial Orlando numbers, so as not to arouse suspicion.

The New York Times

Sheikh said he did not record his clandestine interview so as not to arouse suspicion.

The Guardian

What should have elicited sympathy — or even pity — tended to arouse suspicion.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In narrative writing, deploy "arouse suspicion" to build suspense by hinting at hidden motives or concealed truths, thereby engaging the reader's curiosity.

Common error

Avoid using "arouse suspicion" repeatedly within a single paragraph. Vary your language by using synonyms like "raise doubts" or "invite scrutiny" to maintain reader engagement and avoid monotony.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "arouse suspicion" functions as a verb phrase where "arouse" acts as a transitive verb, taking "suspicion" as its direct object. It indicates an action that causes a feeling of doubt or mistrust. This function is consistent with how Ludwig AI describes the phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

20%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "arouse suspicion" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that something is causing doubt or mistrust. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is prevalent in News & Media, Science, and Wiki contexts, with a neutral to professional register. To enhance your writing, consider using synonyms like "raise suspicion" or "trigger suspicion", and avoid overusing the phrase in close proximity. Remember to use this expression to subtly hint at questionable actions without explicit accusations, to invite readers in your stories.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

raise suspicion

Replaces "arouse" with "raise", maintaining the same core meaning of prompting suspicion.

trigger suspicion

Substitutes "arouse" with "trigger", suggesting a more immediate and direct causation of suspicion.

create suspicion

Uses "create" in place of "arouse", focusing on the act of generating suspicion.

invite suspicion

Replaces "arouse" with "invite", suggesting that the action makes suspicion more likely or welcome.

prompt suspicion

Uses "prompt" instead of "arouse", indicating that something instigates a feeling of suspicion.

generate suspicion

Synonymous replacement of "arouse" focusing on an active creation of a feeling.

foster suspicion

Suggests that suspicion is being encouraged or cultivated.

give rise to suspicion

A more formal way of saying "arouse suspicion", indicating the origin of a feeling of suspicion.

lead to suspicion

Changes the focus to the consequence of an action which is to cause suspicion.

instill doubt

Shifts the focus slightly from suspicion to the act of planting doubt, which can lead to suspicion.

FAQs

How can I use "arouse suspicion" in a sentence?

Use "arouse suspicion" to indicate that something triggers a feeling of doubt or mistrust. For example: "His evasive answers began to "arouse suspicion" among the investigators".

What are some alternatives to "arouse suspicion"?

You can use alternatives like "raise suspicion", "trigger suspicion", or "create suspicion" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it better to say "arouse suspicion" or "cause suspicion"?

"Arouse suspicion" and "cause suspicion" are quite similar, but "arouse" suggests a more gradual development of suspicion, while "cause" implies a more direct and immediate effect. The choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Can "arouse suspicion" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "arouse suspicion" is appropriate for both formal and informal writing contexts. It is a common and well-understood phrase that does not carry any negative connotations in terms of register. However, consider the alternative phrase if you want to enrich your message.