Suspect vs. Suspicious: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Suspect is a noun or verb referring to someone believed to be guilty or to doubt, while suspicious is an adjective describing doubt or mistrust.
Key Differences
Suspect, as a noun, refers to a person who is believed to have committed a crime or wrongdoing. It implies an individual under suspicion. As a verb, it means to doubt or question the truthfulness or reliability of something or someone. Suspicious, on the other hand, is an adjective describing a feeling or appearance of mistrust or doubt. It characterizes situations, behaviors, or appearances that invoke suspicion.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Suspect, in its verb form, denotes the act of having doubts or suspicions about someone or something. It involves a process of questioning credibility. In contrast, suspicious is used to describe situations or behaviors that appear questionable or not trustworthy, often invoking a sense of caution or wariness.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
When describing a person thought to be involved in a crime, suspect is the term used. It specifically relates to a person rather than a situation. Suspicious, however, is used to describe an atmosphere, action, or object that seems potentially deceitful or indicative of wrongdoing.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In legal contexts, suspect is often used formally to designate someone who is under investigation. This usage is specific and has legal implications. Suspicious describes an attribute of actions or circumstances that might lead someone to become a suspect, but it is not a formal legal term.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In everyday language, suspect can be a more casual term implying doubt or skepticism about something, not necessarily related to criminal activity. Suspicious, in everyday use, describes a feeling or observation of something being off or questionable, based on intuition or apparent evidence.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun (a person under suspicion); Verb (to doubt).
Adjective (describing doubt or mistrust).
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Dec 13, 2023
Usage Context
Refers to a person or an act of doubting.
Describes an attribute or feeling of doubt.
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Dec 13, 2023
Legal Implication
Used formally in legal contexts.
Descriptive, without specific legal implications.
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Dec 13, 2023
Relation
Focuses on a person or doubt itself.
Pertains to characteristics of a situation or behavior.
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Application
Specific to individuals or acts of doubting.
Broad, applied to situations, behaviors, or appearances.
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Dec 13, 2023
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Suspect and Suspicious Definitions
Suspect
A person believed to have committed a crime.
The police identified a suspect in the robbery.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Suggesting something is not right.
The sudden wealth of the official was suspicious.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
Someone potentially responsible for wrongdoing.
He was the main suspect in the investigation.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Appearing doubtful or untrustworthy.
There were suspicious characters loitering outside.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To doubt the credibility or validity of something.
I suspect these results are not accurate.
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Suspicious
Inducing a feeling of doubt or mistrust.
His alibi sounded suspicious.
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Suspect
To consider (something) to be true or probable on little or no evidence
I suspect they are very disappointed.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Meriting wariness or careful attention.
The package's suspicious appearance prompted a call to the police.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Seeming potentially deceitful or dishonest.
Her story had a suspiciously perfect explanation.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To consider (a person) guilty without proof
The police suspect her of murder.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Arousing or apt to arouse suspicion; questionable
Suspicious behavior.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Arousing suspicion.
His suspicious behaviour brought him to the attention of the police.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
(transitive) To imagine or suppose (something) to be true, or to exist, without proof.
To suspect the presence of disease
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Distrustful or tending to suspect.
I have a suspicious attitude to get-rich-quick schemes.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
(transitive) To distrust or have doubts about (something or someone).
To suspect the truth of a story
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
(transitive) To believe (someone) to be guilty.
I suspect him of being the thief.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Inclined to suspect; given or prone to suspicion; apt to imagine without proof.
Nature itself, after it has done an injury, will ever be suspicious; and no man can love the person he suspects.
Many mischievous insects are daily at work to make men of merit suspicious of each other.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Indicating suspicion, mistrust, or fear.
We have a suspicious, fearful, constrained countenance.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspicious
Liable to suspicion; adapted to raise suspicion; giving reason to imagine ill; questionable; as, an author of suspicious innovations; suspicious circumstances.
I spy a black, suspicious, threatening could.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
A person who is suspected of something, in particular of committing a crime.
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Suspicious
Not as expected;
There was something fishy about the accident
Up to some funny business
Some definitely queer goings-on
A shady deal
Her motives were suspect
Suspicious behavior
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
Suspicious; inspiring distrust.
Suspect [was] his face, suspect his word also.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
One who, or that which, is suspected; an object of suspicion; - formerly applied to persons and things; now, only to persons suspected of crime.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To imagine to exist; to have a slight or vague opinion of the existence of, without proof, and often upon weak evidence or no evidence; to mistrust; to surmise; - commonly used regarding something unfavorable, hurtful, or wrong; as, to suspect the presence of disease.
Nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and therefore men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more.
From her hand I could suspect no ill.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To imagine to be guilty, upon slight evidence, or without proof; as, to suspect one of equivocation.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To hold to be uncertain; to doubt; to mistrust; to distruct; as, to suspect the truth of a story.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To imagine guilt; to have a suspicion or suspicions; to be suspicious.
If I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
A person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
Imagine to be the case or true or probable;
I suspect he is a fugitive
I surmised that the butler did it
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
Regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
Hold in suspicion; believe to be guilty;
The U.S. suspected Bin Laden as the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
Not as expected;
There was something fishy about the accident
Up to some funny business
Some definitely queer goings-on
A shady deal
Her motives were suspect
Suspicious behavior
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
To doubt the truthfulness or reliability.
I suspect he's not telling the truth.
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Dec 05, 2023
Suspect
A person under suspicion for a particular reason.
She became a suspect after witnesses saw her near the scene.
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Dec 05, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What does suspect mean as a noun?
As a noun, a suspect is someone thought to be guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.
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Dec 13, 2023
What kind of feeling does suspicious describe?
Suspicious describes a feeling or appearance of doubt, mistrust, or potential deceit.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can suspect be used as a verb?
Yes, as a verb, suspect means to doubt the truthfulness or reliability of something or someone.
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Dec 13, 2023
How is suspicious used in everyday language?
It's often used to describe something that feels off or questionable, based on intuition or evidence.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can a situation be described as suspicious?
Yes, situations, behaviors, or appearances can be described as suspicious if they seem questionable or untrustworthy.
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Dec 13, 2023
Is it common to use suspect in everyday conversation?
Yes, particularly in the sense of expressing doubt or skepticism about something.
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Dec 13, 2023
Is being called a suspect an accusation of guilt?
Being a suspect is not an outright accusation of guilt; it means being under investigation or suspicion.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can an object be suspicious?
Yes, objects can appear suspicious if they seem out of place or potentially connected to wrongdoing.
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Dec 13, 2023
What does it mean if evidence is described as suspect?
It implies the evidence is questionable or not entirely reliable.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can a person's behavior be suspicious?
Yes, if their actions seem potentially deceitful or indicative of wrongdoing.
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Dec 13, 2023
How do legal authorities use the term suspect?
Authorities use it to refer to individuals under investigation for potential involvement in a crime.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can someone be wrongly labeled as a suspect?
Yes, it's possible for someone to be mistakenly considered a suspect.
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Dec 13, 2023
Does suspect always imply criminal activity?
In legal terms, yes, but in everyday language, it can also imply general doubt or skepticism.
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Dec 13, 2023
Is it correct to say "I'm suspicious of him"?
Yes, it means you have doubts or mistrust regarding that person.
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Dec 13, 2023
What kind of actions are typically called suspicious?
Actions that seem secretive, unexplainable, or inconsistent with normal behavior.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can suspicion alone make someone a suspect?
Suspicion can lead to someone being considered a suspect, but more evidence is usually needed for formal designation.
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Dec 13, 2023
How does the media typically use the term suspicious?
The media often uses it to describe incidents, behaviors, or individuals that raise doubts or concerns.
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Dec 13, 2023
Can a place be described as suspicious?
Yes, if it appears to be involved in or related to questionable activities.
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Dec 13, 2023
Does being suspicious always imply negative connotations?
Mostly, yes, as it involves doubt or mistrust about someone or something.
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Dec 13, 2023
Is it possible for a situation to be suspicious but not involve a suspect?
Yes, a situation can seem suspicious without any identified individual being involved or responsible.
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Dec 13, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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