be suspected to

USAGE SUMMARY

"be suspected to" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is typically used in a passive voice construction to indicate that someone or something is believed or thought to have done something. Example: The police were suspected to have planted evidence at the crime scene to frame the defendant.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Instead, high excess air can be suspected to cool the combustion chamber, resulting in high CO emissions.

Atmospheric Environment

These simple tests could be applied for other rivers, where similar anthropogenic impacts may be suspected to affect the river ice regime.

Quaternary International

The intravascular portion of the haemodialysis catheter should be suspected to have a fibrin sheath when it can be rinsed but not aspirated.

Insights into Imaging

If eosinophilia is present or shaggy aorta is observed, CCE should be suspected to make correct diagnosis and prevent recurrence of CCE.

Surgical Case Reports

When eosinophilia or shaggy aorta is observed, CCE should be suspected to reach an accurate diagnosis and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Surgical Case Reports

As this outer crust is younger than all the other terrestrial samples, it could be suspected to be influenced by modern contamination.

Heritage Science

Chemical analyses concerned both 1) the assessment of the nutrient content of ash tree leaves and their digestibility and 2) the possible presence of secondary compounds that could be suspected to have anti-nutritional and/or medicinal effects.

Pastoralism

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

Many are suspected to be worthless.

The Economist

Belak's death this summer was suspected to be a suicide.

The New York Times

Most of their customers are suspected to have been men.

The New York Times

He is suspected to have been a suicide bomber.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be suspected to", ensure the context clearly indicates who is doing the suspecting or on what grounds the suspicion is based.

Common error

Avoid using "be suspected to" excessively in your writing, as it can make your sentences sound vague and less direct. Consider rephrasing to attribute the suspicion to a specific source for greater clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be suspected to" functions as a passive construction used to express a belief or assumption about something without definitive proof. This aligns with Ludwig AI's assessment of its typical usage in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

84%

News & Media

7%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be suspected to" is a grammatically correct and commonly used passive construction that conveys a sense of possibility or speculation, particularly within scientific and news contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s used to indicate a belief without definitive proof. While versatile, it’s crucial to maintain clarity by attributing suspicion to a specific source and avoiding overuse. Alternatives like "be believed to" or "be thought to" can offer nuanced shades of meaning, depending on the intended emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be believed to

Indicates a belief or general acceptance, slightly stronger than suspicion.

be thought to

Suggests a consideration or opinion, similar in strength to suspicion.

be considered to

Implies a more formal evaluation or judgment.

be presumed to

Indicates an assumption made in the absence of concrete proof.

be alleged to

Denotes an unproven accusation or claim.

be rumored to

Signifies information that is circulating but not confirmed.

be understood to

Suggests a tacit agreement or common knowledge.

be known to

Indicates a fact or piece of information that is generally recognized.

be anticipated to

Implies an expectation or prediction about a future event.

be speculated to

Suggests that something is being guessed or conjectured.

FAQs

How can I use "be suspected to" in a sentence?

Use "be suspected to" when you want to express that something is believed or thought to be true, though without concrete proof. For example, "The malfunction "is suspected to be" caused by a software glitch."

What's a more direct way to express suspicion instead of "be suspected to"?

Instead of the passive "be suspected to", consider active alternatives like "investigators suspect", "authorities believe", or "evidence suggests". These make the source of the suspicion clearer.

What's the difference between "be suspected to" and "be known to"?

"Be suspected to" indicates a belief or possibility, whereas "be known to" implies established knowledge or a proven fact. For example, you might say a chemical "is suspected to cause" harm until its effects are scientifically validated, at which point it could be said to "be known to cause" harm.

When is it appropriate to use "be suspected to" in formal writing?

"Be suspected to" is suitable for formal writing when you need to convey uncertainty or a lack of definitive proof. It's often used in legal, scientific, or investigative contexts where cautious language is important.