get/take the hint
idiom
: to understand what someone is suggesting when he or she says something in an indirect way
When she told me how much work she had to do, I got/took the hint and left.
Examples of get/take the hint in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Will his overbearing roommate take the hint and move out?
—
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Opinion|The Kamala Harris calculus: What do Democrats gain or lose?
July 7, 2024
Opinion|What do Democrats do now?
July 8, 2024
More From The Post
Analysis|Pelosi and Democrats to Biden: Maybe take the hint, please?
—Perry Bacon, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
Some get the hint and stop the calls, but most don’t.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 26 June 2024
If someone doesn’t take the hint, the orchestra will gradually crescendo.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2024
Hopefully some studio executive out there will take the hint.
—Katie Rife, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2022
Which means Freeman can’t take the hint: Given the length of those non-negotiations with Team Freeman, Braves officials didn’t want him.
—Terence Moore, Forbes, 25 June 2022
Merapi's Indonesian brethren did not take the hint, though, as Bromo in the Tengger Caldera continued to erupt throughout early December.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 4 Jan. 2011
The chatterbox will get the hint if multiple attendees perform a nudge to shut up maneuver.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2023
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Opinion|The Kamala Harris calculus: What do Democrats gain or lose?
July 7, 2024
Opinion|What do Democrats do now?
July 8, 2024
More From The Post
Analysis|Pelosi and Democrats to Biden: Maybe take the hint, please?
—Perry Bacon, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
Some get the hint and stop the calls, but most don’t.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 26 June 2024
If someone doesn’t take the hint, the orchestra will gradually crescendo.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2024
Hopefully some studio executive out there will take the hint.
—Katie Rife, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2022
Which means Freeman can’t take the hint: Given the length of those non-negotiations with Team Freeman, Braves officials didn’t want him.
—Terence Moore, Forbes, 25 June 2022
Merapi's Indonesian brethren did not take the hint, though, as Bromo in the Tengger Caldera continued to erupt throughout early December.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 4 Jan. 2011
The chatterbox will get the hint if multiple attendees perform a nudge to shut up maneuver.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'get/take the hint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Cite this Entry
“Get/take the hint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%2Ftake%20the%20hint. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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