most suspicious of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "most suspicious of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to compare two or more people or things. For example, "The detective was most suspicious of the man with the distinctive hat and glasses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Indeed, the British, normally the most suspicious of euro-integration, are pretending that it does not matter.

The Economist

The tea was served in a tall glass and looking enough like a hot toddy to delude the most suspicious of federal agents.

The New Yorker

I would hope that even those viewers most suspicious of "The Dreamers" resist the urge to dismiss it out of hand.

The New York Times

He added, "If you look at the people Jesus tended to be most suspicious of, they were people who sat in positions of authority to say that they had the unique ability to judge others".

The New York Times

Even those who have been most suspicious of the utility of bombing -- because they thought it useless or counterproductive or both -- were saying today that they had been very surprised.

The New York Times

In fact, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest young people are the ones who are most suspicious of the ways that networks such as Facebook expose them – even if it's not spies that they worry about so much as their parents.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Perhaps the most suspicious example of conflict between mitochondrial and chloroplast topologies was the placement of S. samojedora, S. seoulensis, S. zawadzkii and the major accelerated species from subgenus Behenantha in a clade otherwise populated by subgenus Silene in the cox3 tree [see Additional file 5].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

If the EPA does not call off the hunt at a preliminary stage, somebody has to cough up $23 billion to test just the most suspicious 24% of the lot.

Forbes

The most suspicious fact of the Bear Stearns failure was the massive increase in short positions on March 10 and 11, 2008, with only five days left before expiration.

Huffington Post

In clinical practice, PET is useful in identifying the most suspicious region of pleural thickening, and thereby directing needle biopsy to that area.

Cancer Imaging

Positron emission tomography/CT can be useful in identifying the most suspicious areas of pleural thickening to guide percutaneous needle biopsy [ 22- 25].

Cancer Imaging

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the specific nuance you want to convey. "Most distrustful of" might be a stronger term if you want to emphasize a lack of trust, while "most skeptical of" might be more appropriate if you want to highlight doubt.

Common error

While grammatically correct, relying heavily on "most suspicious of" in formal writing can make your prose sound repetitive. Vary your language by using synonyms such as "most skeptical of" or "least trusting of" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most suspicious of" functions as a comparative adjective phrase followed by a preposition. It modifies a noun, indicating the highest degree of suspicion directed towards a specific entity. As Ludwig AI indicates, it follows standard grammatical rules.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

29%

Huffington Post

11%

Less common in

Wikipedia

2%

Core Evidence

2%

Vice

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "most suspicious of" is a common and grammatically sound construction used to express a high degree of doubt or mistrust. As Ludwig AI confirms, it adheres to standard English grammar. The phrase sees frequent use across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media and Scientific domains. When writing, be mindful of the specific nuance you want to convey and consider alternative phrasings like "most distrustful of" or "most skeptical of" for stylistic variation. While generally neutral, overuse in formal writing can lead to repetitiveness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most distrustful of

Replaces "suspicious" with "distrustful", emphasizing a lack of trust.

most skeptical of

Substitutes "suspicious" with "skeptical", focusing on doubt and questioning.

most doubtful about

Uses "doubtful about" instead of "suspicious of", highlighting uncertainty.

least trusting of

Offers the opposite perspective, focusing on a lack of trust.

most wary of

Replaces "suspicious" with "wary", indicating caution and watchfulness.

most dubious about

Uses "dubious about" instead of "suspicious of", stressing uncertainty and doubt.

most unconvinced by

Focuses on a lack of persuasion or belief.

most disbelieving of

Emphasizes a lack of belief or faith.

most cynical about

Replaces "suspicious" with "cynical", highlighting a pessimistic view.

most questioning of

Focuses on the act of questioning and probing.

FAQs

How can I use "most suspicious of" in a sentence?

Use "most suspicious of" to indicate the person, thing, or idea that someone views with the greatest amount of doubt or mistrust. For example, "The auditor was most suspicious of the company's unusually high profits."

What's a good alternative to "most suspicious of"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "most skeptical of", "most distrustful of", or "most wary of".

Is it correct to say "suspicious about" instead of "suspicious of"?

While "suspicious of" is the more traditional and widely accepted phrasing, "suspicious about" is sometimes used. However, "suspicious of" is generally preferred in formal writing.

What does it mean to be "suspicious of" something?

To be "suspicious of" something means to have doubts or mistrust about it. It implies a feeling that something is not right or that someone is not being truthful.