suspect towards

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "suspect towards" is not correct and not commonly used in written English.
It may be intended to express doubt or mistrust regarding someone or something, but the phrasing is awkward. Example: "She seemed to be suspect towards his intentions, questioning his motives."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There is also loyalty at play, I suspect, towards Marber, a contemporary at Oxford though they didn't particularly know each other.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It is still interesting to reflect on the mindset of those who stuck with the Conservatives in the 1980s; but for most of them tribally loyal to the party at that stage, I suspect its negativity towards homosexuality was mostly seen as an aberration.

The Guardian

Critically, there is no reason to suspect a bias towards underestimating the maximum life span of longer lived species.

Plosone

I suspect it's more towards the former than the latter.

The Guardian

I am profoundly distressed at the suggestion that if I had good reason to suspect any improper behaviour towards any pupil, I would not have acted on it".

The Guardian

His European partners often suspect him of leaning towards their rivals in America, while the Americans, for their part, do not much like foreign firms acting as the lead company on big defence contracts.Sir Richard is determined to face both ways.

The Economist

Multiple developers mentioned that they'd heard of some app vendors that Apple wasn't being nearly as accommodating towards — I suspect services offering the most basic templates are getting hit hardest.

TechCrunch

While I cannot offer anything definitive in this regard, I suspect that our drive towards leadership expertise - and our quest to truly own it - stems from a number of key factors.

Huffington Post

In fact I suspect that Apple is heading towards a stance even more absolutist than the Vatican's.

The Guardian - Opinion

Although there is no concrete reason to suspect China of bad intentions towards Central Asia since the region broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991, ancient fears of Chinese expansionism still persist.

The Economist

But they are still often treated as complicit in their own persecution: "What did you do to make them mad?" This leads me to suspect that our blasé attitude towards security is the result of that classic delusion, the just-world hypothesis.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "suspect towards" in formal writing. Opt for more common and grammatically sound alternatives like "suspicious of" or "doubtful about".

Common error

A common mistake is pairing "suspect" with the preposition "towards". Instead, use "suspect" as a verb (e.g., "I suspect foul play") or use adjectives like "suspicious" or "doubtful" with the correct prepositions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "suspect towards" functions as a prepositional phrase, attempting to express a feeling of doubt or mistrust directed at something. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it's not a standard or grammatically correct construction.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "suspect towards" is an uncommon and grammatically questionable construction. While it appears in some news and media contexts, it's advisable to avoid using it in formal writing. Ludwig AI indicates it's not a standard English phrase. More appropriate alternatives such as "suspicious of" or "doubtful about" should be favored to express the intended meaning of suspicion or mistrust. Using alternatives ensures clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Suspicious of

Replaces "suspect" with "suspicious" and uses the preposition "of" instead of "towards" for a more standard construction.

Doubtful about

Uses "doubtful" to express uncertainty or lack of trust, paired with the preposition "about".

Distrustful of

Emphasizes a lack of trust, using "distrustful" followed by "of".

Wary of

Indicates caution and a degree of suspicion using the adjective "wary".

Skeptical of

Highlights a questioning attitude and doubt using the adjective "skeptical".

To have suspicions about

Restructures the phrase to use "have suspicions" followed by "about", focusing on the act of suspecting.

To harbor doubts about

Emphasizes the presence of doubts, using "harbor doubts" to suggest a lingering uncertainty.

To be dubious about

Uses "dubious" to express uncertainty or hesitance about something.

To question the validity of

Shifts the focus to questioning the truth or accuracy of something.

To lack confidence in

Indicates a lack of trust or assurance in someone or something.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "suspect towards"?

Better alternatives include "suspicious of", "doubtful about", or "distrustful of".

Is "suspect towards" grammatically correct?

No, "suspect towards" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use "suspicious of" or rephrase the sentence.

How can I use "suspect" correctly in a sentence?

Use "suspect" as a verb (e.g., "I suspect he is lying") or use the adjective "suspicious" followed by the preposition "of" (e.g., "I am suspicious of his motives").

What is the difference between "suspect towards" and "suspicious of"?

"Suspect towards" is generally considered incorrect. "Suspicious of" is the correct and commonly used phrase to express doubt or mistrust.