suggestion

noun

sug·​ges·​tion səg-ˈjes-chən How to pronounce suggestion (audio)
sə-ˈjes-,
-ˈjesh-
1
a
: the act or process of suggesting
b
: something suggested
2
a
: the process by which a physical or mental state is influenced by a thought or idea
the power of suggestion
b
: the process by which one thought leads to another especially through association of ideas
3
: a slight indication : trace
a suggestion of a smile

Examples of suggestion in a Sentence

Do you have any suggestions? Please send comments and suggestions to our post office box. I have a suggestion: call the store and ask them about it. I'd like to offer a suggestion. I reject his suggestion that we shouldn't have helped them. trying to influence people's thoughts by using suggestion The director relies on the power of suggestion rather than explicitly showing the murder.
Recent Examples on the Web But any suggestion that Kliavkoff bears no responsibility is, of course, ludicrous. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Preferably with your contact information and specifics about construction, leading to the next suggestion … Assure neighbors construction won’t last forever Ambiguity is not your friend. Keith Wagstaff, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 This may be suggestions for providing supplemental nutrition or medication changes or additions. Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 4 Mar. 2024 Khosla wondered which groups would determine how AI gets aligned, before Andreessen chimed in with his own suggestion. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Macron’s suggestion was swiftly rejected by the United States and others, but Putin said that such a development would risk a wider war with potentially apocalyptic consequences. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 Get suggestions of your next move from your kid brother. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Some of the search suggestions will also include images. Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 29 Feb. 2024 The president then read aloud one of the suggestions. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suggestion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of suggestion was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near suggestion

Cite this Entry

“Suggestion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suggestion. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

suggestion

noun
sug·​ges·​tion sə(g)-ˈjes-chən How to pronounce suggestion (audio)
-ˈjesh-
1
a
: the act or process of suggesting
b
: something (as a thought or plan) that is suggested
2
a
: the process by which a physical or mental state is influenced by a thought or idea
the power of suggestion
b
: the process by which one thought leads to another especially through association of ideas
c
: a way of influencing attitudes and behavior hypnotically
3
: a slight indication
a suggestion of a smile

Medical Definition

suggestion

noun
sug·​ges·​tion sə(g)-ˈjes-chən, -ˈjesh- How to pronounce suggestion (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of impressing something (as an idea, attitude, or desired action) upon the mind of another
suggestion in response to propagandaPsychological Abstracts
b
: the process by which a physical or mental state is influenced by a thought or idea
the power of suggestion
2
: something impressed upon the mind by suggestion
the posthypnotic carrying out of suggestions held in the unconsciousG. S. Blum

Legal Definition

suggestion

noun
sug·​ges·​tion
1
a
: the act or process of suggesting
b
: something suggested
2
: an entry on the record of a fact or circumstance (as the death or insolvency of a party) material to a case and essential for the court in making its determination
reference to a party's death in a pleading was not the equivalent of a formal suggestion of death on the recordKissic v. Liberty Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 641 So. 2d 250 (1994)

More from Merriam-Webster on suggestion

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