Verdächtigt

Verdächtigt is an adjective and the past participle of the verb verdächtigen in German. It denotes that someone or something is under suspicion of having committed a crime or wrongdoing. In this sense it is commonly used predicatively: Der Mann ist verdächtigt, eine Straftat begangen zu haben. It can also describe objects or situations associated with suspicion, for example verdächtige Hinweise, though in that phrase the attributive form verdächtig is more common.

In legal and journalistic contexts, verdächtigt often indicates a status within an investigative process rather than a determination of guilt. The corresponding nouns are Verdächtiger for a male suspect and Verdächtige for multiple suspects; Beschuldigter is another term used for an accused person. A typical formulation is Es besteht Verdacht gegen ihn, meaning there is suspicion directed at him. Saying Der Verdächtige wird vernommen signals that the person under suspicion is being questioned, without implying guilt.

Distinctions to related terms are important. Verdächtig describes something or someone as suspicious in general use, while verdächtigt specifically marks a person or entity as currently under suspicion within an investigation. The term does not equate to being charged or found guilty; formal accusations and judicial determinations involve separate terms and procedures.

Etymologically, verdächtigen derives from the concept of suspicion, linked to the noun Verdacht. The combination of the root meaning to suspect and the prefix ver- shapes the sense of being under scrutiny, rather than proven culpability.