What is the difference between insinuations and allegations?

[Bernardette]

Test No. incompl/inter-37 "Eating Disorder", question 1

George Turnip was a highly respected vegetarian but the press were making serious ......... about him.

(a) accusations
(b) insinuations
(c) intimations
(d) allegations

Test No. incompl/inter-37 "Eating Disorder", answer 1

George Turnip was a highly respected vegetarian but the press were making serious allegations about him.

Correct answer: (d) allegations

Your answer was: incorrect
George Turnip was a highly respected vegetarian but the press were making serious insinuations about him.
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Hello!
I anm worndering Why "Insinuations" doesn't fit in here?
Thank you

[Alan]

This is a more definite hint than insinuation because with an allegation, you actually make it or say it.
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Good Bye Summer

[Guest]

[Alan]

Hi enlearnercn,

Clearly the word allegation is needed here because in the sentence it refers to what they press were saying about him. The very word indicates that what is said doesn't necessarily have any basis in fact. If you used the word accusation, you would then have to say what the accusation consisted of. In other words you would have to say: The press made accustaions about him of his .... This would not then fit in this sentence.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Sea Expressions