suspicion

¹sus·pi·cion

noun \sə-ˈspi-shən\

Definition of SUSPICION

1

a : the act or an instance of suspecting something wrong without proof or on slight evidence : mistrust b : a state of mental uneasiness and uncertainty : doubt

2

: a barely detectable amount : trace <just a suspicion of garlic>

Examples of SUSPICION

1. There has long been a suspicion that the painting is a fake.
2. I thought the water might be making us sick, and my suspicions were confirmed by the lab tests.
3. The note aroused her suspicions that he was having an affair.
4. I have a sneaking suspicion that those cookies aren't really homemade.
5. The new policies are regarded by many with suspicion.
6. His story has raised some suspicion.
7. I have my suspicions about his motives.

Origin of SUSPICION

Middle English suspecioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin suspicion-, suspicio, from suspicere to suspect — more at suspect

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SUSPICION

Synonyms: distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation [archaic], incertitude, misdoubt, misgiving, mistrust, mistrustfulness, query, reservation, skepticism, doubt, uncertainty

Antonyms: assurance, belief, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, sureness, surety, trust

Related Words: disbelief, incredulity, unbelief; anxiety, concern, paranoia, wariness; compunction, niggle [chiefly British], qualm, scruple, tremor

Near Antonyms: credence, faith

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See Synonym Discussion at uncertainty

Rhymes with SUSPICION

addition, admission, ambition, attrition, audition, beautician, clinician, cognition, coition, commission, condition, contrition, demission, dentition, dismission, Domitian, edition, emission, ethician, fruition, ignition, Kittitian, lenition, logician, magician, Mauritian, monition, mortician, munition, musician, nutrition, omission, optician, partition, patrician, perdition, permission, petition, Phoenician, physician, Politian, position, punition, remission, rendition, sedition, submission, tactician, technician, tradition, transition, transmission, tuition, volition