1
as in to indicate
to convey an idea indirectly this letter suggests that there's more going on than she's telling us

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to recommend
to put (something) forward as one's choice for a wise or proper course of action I suggested that they talk to a therapist about their marital problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word suggest distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of suggest are hint, imply, insinuate, and intimate. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," suggest may stress putting into the mind by association of ideas, awakening of a desire, or initiating a train of thought.

a film title that suggests its subject matter

In what contexts can hint take the place of suggest?

The meanings of hint and suggest largely overlap; however, hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement.

hinted that she might get the job

How do imply and suggest relate to one another?

Imply is close to suggest but may indicate a more definite or logical relation of the unexpressed idea to the expressed.

measures implying that bankruptcy was imminent

Where would insinuate be a reasonable alternative to suggest?

While in some cases nearly identical to suggest, insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

When might intimate be a better fit than suggest?

In some situations, the words intimate and suggest are roughly equivalent. However, intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

intimates that there is more to the situation than meets the eye

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suggest But in the small areas of freedom McAvoy allows himself outside the main thrust of the familiar rags-to-riches-to-regret arc there are sharp little digressions and darker shadowy corners that suggest there’s more to the film, and to McAvoy as a filmmaker, than initially meets the eye. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025 There is a long way to go in the regular season, but Boswell’s win over Crowley suggests the Pioneers could compete for a playoff spot. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2025 The website, though, shows a negative subtotal of more than $2 million, suggesting money allocated to the grant that was unspent. Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025 But Dalio’s work suggests that’s exactly the mindset that gets countries into trouble. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suggest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suggest
Verb
  • Permits are invalid unless they are accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection from an accredited veterinarian indicating that the animal is free of disease.
    Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Swift’s 149-show, five-continent expedition encapsulated a tsunami of emotions not just among her fans, but her own journey through a very public breakup, a fling and, as indicated by her engagement to Kelce, knee-buckling love.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hanke recommends allowing the peso to float for around 60 days, enabling market forces to determine its actual worth in terms of dollars.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Instead, varicella, commonly known as chickenpox, is recommended as a standalone shot.
    Reuters, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Portofino held a special place in Taylor's heart—Burton first proposed to her there.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The class-action suit proposes including participants from season 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the series.
    Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The most significant jump in imports into Italy was from China, up 18 percent in the period, implying that many fast fashion players are gaining Italians over.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
  • After praising the male LGBTQIA+ members of their friendship circle, Consuelos then implied a wilder theory about the heterosexual female friends in Ripa's life.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sleep problems Men can ask their primary care doctors to perform a blood test to check their testosterone levels, Munger advised.
    Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • If Your Party wants to avoid a similar fate, it would be well advised to be disciplined and electorally oriented—and to drop single-issue activism, hostility to Labour, and inept, baggage-laden figures such as Corbyn.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The Netflix series is based on the Danish format Det Sidste Ord (The Last Word), which offers final interviews where major cultural icons, whether from the world of the arts, sports, politics or elsewhere, can look back on their lives with only someone posing questions in front of them.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • All three new objects sit in clusters weighing about 100 trillion Suns, hinting that black hole jets colliding with dense cosmic environments may be central to their formation.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Vladimir hints that the pair’s aww camaraderie may not survive another iteration of their Groundhog Day.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The administration has offered signing bonuses, student loan forgiveness and large salaries to those willing to join ICE.
    Juan Cordoba, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Check out our latest digital and print subscription offers here.
    Nashville Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suggest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suggest. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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