allegedly

UK: /əˈlɛdʒɪdli/ US: (ə lej′id lē)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

al•leg•ed•ly  (ə lej′id lē), adv. 

1. according to what is or has been alleged.

• alleged + -ly 1870–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

allegedly / əˈlɛdʒɪdlɪ/ adverb

1. reportedly; supposedly: payments allegedly made to a former colleague
2. (sentence modifier) it is alleged that

interjection

1. an exclamation expressing disbelief or scepticism

USAGE
In recent years it has become common for speakers to include allegedly in statements that are controversial or possibly even defamatory. The implication is that, by saying allegedly, the speaker is distancing himself or herself from the controversy and even protecting himself or herself from possible prosecution. However, the effect created may be deliberate. The use of allegedly can be a signal that, although the statement may seem outrageous, it is in fact true: He was drunk at work. Allegedly. Conversely, it is also possible to use allegedly as an expression of ironic scepticism: He's a hard worker. Allegedly.