allegedly

allegedly — adverb

1. describes an action that someone claims another person did, especially an illega

1.副詞B2
釋義

describes an action that someone claims another person did, especially an illegal or dishonest one, when this has not yet been proven in a court of law.

例句

A former employee allegedly stole nearly two million dollars from the company.

allegedly + past-tense verb (stole)

The state governor allegedly accepted bribes from several construction firms during the election campaign.

同義詞
  • reportedly

    focuses on what others have said, not necessarily about wrongdoing; less legal tone.

  • purportedly

    more formal; suggests the claim may be false.

文法句型

allegedly + past-tense verb

subject + allegedly + verb phrase

用法筆記

Common in news reports and legal documents. The subject is typically a person, an institution, or a group accused of wrongdoing. Frequently appears before the main verb in past tense.

常見錯誤

❌The man allegedly stole the phone, and the police caught him with it.
✅The man allegedly stole the phone, but the police have not yet proven it.
💡Do not follow 'allegedly' with evidence of guilt, which contradicts the idea that the claim is unproven.
❌He allegedly came to the party at 8 PM.
✅He allegedly stole money from the charity.
💡'Allegedly' is used for serious accusations (crime, wrongdoing), not for neutral facts like arrival time.

2. used when stating what someone claims is true, even though the truth of the stat

2.副詞B2
釋義

used when stating what someone claims is true, even though the truth of the statement has not been confirmed by evidence.

例句

The old painting was allegedly worth over five million dollars at auction.

allegedly + be + complement (was worth)

Christopher allegedly discovered a new treatment for the disease, though experts are sceptical.

同義詞
  • supposedly

    less formal; often implies the speaker doubts the claim.

  • reportedly

    based on what others have reported; no implication of doubt.

文法句型

allegedly + be + complement

allegedly + verb

用法筆記

Broader than sense 1 — the claim does not have to involve wrongdoing. The speaker distances themself from the truth of the statement. Often used when reporting unverified information from a named or unnamed source.

常見錯誤

❌The sun allegedly rises in the east.
✅The sun rises in the east.
💡Do not use 'allegedly' for universally known or proven facts.
❌She is allegedly a doctor, and I trust her with my health.
✅She is allegedly a doctor, but I am not sure if her qualification is real.
💡The second half of the sentence should maintain the tone of uncertainty, not contradict it.