allege meaning

allege means 'to claim that something is true without proof'.

allege :

to claim, to assert without proof

Verb

▪ He alleges that he was never at the scene.

▪ He claims that he was never at the scene.

▪ She alleges misconduct by the manager.

▪ She claims wrongdoing by the manager.

paraphrasing

▪ assert – to declare firmly

▪ claim – to state something is true

▪ profess – to declare openly

▪ contend – to argue a point

allege

Pronunciation

allege [əˈlɛdʒ]

The stress is on the second syllable 'lege' and sounds like 'uh-leg'.

Common phrases and grammar about allege

allege - Common meaning

Verb
to claim, to assert without proof

Part of Speech Changes for "allege"

▪ allegation (noun) – a claim without proof

▪ alleged (adjective) – claimed but not proven

Common Expressions with "allege"

▪ allege wrongdoing – claim illegal or unethical behavior

▪ allege responsibility – claim duty or blame

▪ allege involvement – claim participation

▪ allege damages – claim financial loss

Important examples of allege in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, allege is often used to indicate claims or accusations without proof.

▪The employee alleged unfair treatment by the supervisor.
▪The employee claimed unfair treatment by the supervisor.

Example of a confusing word: assert (to state confidently)

▪The employee asserted unfair treatment by the supervisor.
▪The employee stated confidently about unfair treatment by the supervisor.
"Allege" means "to claim or assert that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically without proof." It is often used in legal or formal contexts where the claim has not been proven. In contrast, "assert" means "to state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully." While both words involve stating something, "allege" implies a lack of evidence, whereas "assert" does not. Using "assert" in this context changes the nuance of the sentence to imply confidence rather than lack of proof, making "allege" the correct choice here.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

Allege is used as a transitive verb, requiring an object in TOEIC grammar questions.

▪They alleged discrimination in the hiring process.
▪They claimed discrimination in the hiring process.

allege

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

allege wrongdoing

'claim illegal or unethical behavior', used when accusing someone of improper actions.

▪The report alleges financial misconduct by the director.
▪The report claims financial misconduct by the director.

cry foul

means 'to complain about unfair treatment', used to allege something wrong.

▪She cried foul when her application was rejected.
▪She complained that her application was rejected.

Differences between similar words and allege

allege

,

claim

differences

allege is used to assert something without proof, while claim can be with or without proof.

allege
▪They alleged the company was hiding profits.
▪They claimed the company was hiding profits.
claim
▪He claimed the evidence was insufficient.
▪He asserted the evidence was insufficient.

allege

,

state – to express clearly

differences

allege is specifically for unproven claims, while state is to express clearly and confidently.

allege
▪
▪He declared that he had no knowledge of the event.
state – to express clearly
▪He stated that he had no knowledge of the event.
▪He declared that he had no knowledge of the event.

Words with the same origin as allege

The origin of allege

The word 'allege' comes from the Latin 'allocare', meaning 'to call to'.

Word structure

It has the prefix 'al' (to), root 'lege' (call), and means 'to call to' or 'to claim'.

Words with the same origin

The root of allege is 'legate' (to send). Words with the same root include legislature and legacy.

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