we suspect that

USAGE SUMMARY

"we suspect that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to suggest that someone or something may be true without being certain. Example: We suspect that the mysterious circumstances surrounding the incident are linked to organized crime.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But we suspect that will change shortly.

TechCrunch

We suspect that summer, 2018 will be a turning point.

Vice

We suspect that summer, 2018, will be a turning point.

Vice

Therefore, we suspect that like EGFR mutations, incidence of V600E mutations may be racial reliant.

British Journal of Cancer

We suspect that under these conditions the OC stocks are now vulnerable to OC losses.

Geoderma

We suspect that the diameters of the spherically flocculated particle swarm fluctuated.

Chemical Engineering Science

We suspect that somebody is not thinking things through here.

The New Yorker

Additionally, we suspect that the electrochemical response is influenced by the primary carbon-based substrate.

Electrochimica Acta

We suspect that they do not want the political fight.

The New York Times

"We suspect that it may be [racially motivated]," he said.

The Guardian

Perhaps on one level we suspect that already.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we suspect that" when you have some evidence or reason to believe something, but lack definitive proof. It's suitable for expressing educated guesses or hypotheses.

Common error

Avoid using "we suspect that" repeatedly in formal reports. Instead, vary your language by incorporating synonyms like "we hypothesize", "we infer", or "our analysis indicates" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we suspect that" serves as a hedging device, expressing an opinion or hypothesis with a degree of uncertainty. It's used to introduce a proposition that is believed to be true, but lacks definitive proof. As confirmed by Ludwig, it suggests a suggestion without being certain.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

63%

News & Media

31%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we suspect that" is a versatile phrase used to express a degree of uncertainty or tentative belief. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates a suggestion or hypothesis that isn't definitively proven. It is most frequently found in scientific and news-related contexts, and is generally suitable for neutral to formal communication. While grammatically correct, avoid overuse in overly formal settings by using some "alternatives". Remember to use it when presenting a reasoned belief, without absolute certainty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is our suspicion that

Rephrases the idea with a slightly more formal tone, emphasizing the noun form of suspicion.

we believe that

Offers a slightly stronger degree of confidence compared to suspecting.

we surmise that

Implies an inference based on incomplete evidence; more formal.

we think that

Presents a more general thought or opinion, potentially less grounded in evidence.

the evidence leads us to believe that

Highlights the role of evidence in shaping the belief; more emphatic.

our assessment suggests that

Indicates a conclusion drawn from a formal evaluation or analysis.

we anticipate that

Focuses on expecting something to happen in the future, rather than a current belief.

we gather that

Suggests forming a conclusion from collected information or observations.

we have a hunch that

Introduces a more informal and intuitive sense of suspicion, less based on concrete evidence.

we're inclined to think that

Expresses a leaning towards a particular belief or opinion.

FAQs

How to use "we suspect that" in a sentence?

"We suspect that" is used to express a belief or educated guess based on available information, but without conclusive proof. For example, "We suspect that the delay is due to unforeseen circumstances".

What can I say instead of "we suspect that"?

You can use alternatives like "we believe that", "we think that", or "it is our suspicion that" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "we suspect that" or "we suspected that"?

"We suspect that" is used for present suspicions, while "we suspected that" is used for past suspicions. For example, "We suspect that the data is flawed" (present) vs. "We suspected that he was lying" (past).

What's the difference between "we suspect that" and "we know that"?

"We suspect that" indicates a belief or guess, whereas "we know that" implies certainty and confirmed information. "We suspect that the weather will change" implies uncertainty, while "We know that rain is coming" implies confirmed knowledge.