get/take the hint

phrase

: 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
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Still others, particularly those with traditions of local school control, mandate only a cellphone policy, believing districts will take the hint and sharply restrict phone access. Jeff Amy, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025 But the jury is out on whether the company will take the hint. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 May 2025 Have you ever been trapped in an endless conversation with a colleague who won’t take the hint? Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 As for whether the neighbor will take the hint, Reddit users seem skeptical. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025 However, after significant turnover in the offseason, teams may now get the hint. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 8 Feb. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Get/take the hint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%2Ftake%20the%20hint. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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