hint

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a statement that expresses indirectly what one prefers not to say explicitly
had been dropping hints that he would like to be invited
b
: an indirect or general suggestion for how to do or solve something
helpful hints for inexperienced cooks
can't tell you the answer but can give you a hint
2
: a slight indication of the existence, approach, or nature of something : clue
gave only a hint of what was to come
3
: a very small amount : suggestion
with just a hint of spice
4
archaic : opportunity, turn

hint

2 of 2

verb

hinted; hinting; hints

transitive verb

: to convey indirectly and by allusion rather than explicitly
a suspicion that she scarcely dared to hint

intransitive verb

: to give an indirect suggestion or piece of evidence that leads one toward the solution of a problem : to give a hint
usually used with at
hint at the answer
hinter noun
Choose the Right Synonym for hint

suggest, imply, hint, intimate, insinuate 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

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

hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement.

hinted that she might get the job

intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

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

insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

Examples of hint in a Sentence

Noun Her face gave me a hint of what she was thinking. “I have a lot of work to do.” “OK, I'll leave. I can take a hint.” The sauce has a subtle hint of garlic. He had a hint of a German accent. They'll betray you at the first hint of trouble. Verb I keep hinting, but she's not catching on. I think I need to be more direct. The boss hinted about possible layoffs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The citrus grass variety is made with citrus peel and lemongrass, while the pink burst, which was inspired by the pink Starburst candy, has hints of strawberry and cream. Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 Ryan Gosling is a man in black with a hint of pink. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 And this is all set to a minimal trip-hop beat (with a slight hint of G-funk) and an atmospheric keyboard wash over a pulsating bassline. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024 The result is supremely balanced, with just enough of a hint of lavender to put a little spring in your step. Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2024 Ace Frehley, founding member and lead guitarist of the immortal foursome KISS, although long single, having departed in 1982, has a new record out, 10,000 Volts, the title a not particularly subtle hint that this is a very heavy rock record, played at full bore. Bob Guccione Jr., SPIN, 7 Mar. 2024 By Zoë Schlanger The smallest hint of frustration had crept into John Kerry’s voice. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2024 Stapleton’s vocals were tender one moment, gritty and blues-drenched the next, rising from a deep growl to a falsetto swoop without a hint of affectation. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 The first hint of something unusual was a discrepancy between observations made by the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and the Nançay Radio Telescope in France as part of a coordinated survey of faint galaxies. Mark Zastrow, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
Timberlake has been married to the actress Jessica Biel for 11 years, so the breakup songs scattered across the album are exercises in imagination or, as Timberlake hinted in that Zane Lowe interview, memory. Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The five-day talks will begin Thursday in Islamabad with the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose advisers have hinted that Pakistan will seek a new bailout of up to $8 billion when the current one expires this month. Munir Ahmed, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Polls have hinted that Porter and Garvey will be battling it out for the number two spot in the primaries. Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Putin has hinted before of Russia’s readiness to use its nuclear weapons, but Thursday’s warning was unusually sharp. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 But most common respiratory viruses that are transmitted between children faded away almost entirely, and Kawasaki disease did not — in fact, the number of children under 12 months with Kawasaki disease did not change much at all, hinting that some exposure inside homes continued to affect infants. Emily Baumgaertner Ariana Drehsler, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The idea seems absurd to anyone with a global perspective, but the above bullet points hint why Trump’s voters feel under attack, their freedoms slipping away. Rich Karlgaard, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Recent national data has hinted to the beginning of a pullback in spending by Americans. Samantha Delouya, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 Authorities hinting that their could more victims indicates other charges could be on the horizon for Maurad-Avecillas. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

probably alteration of obsolete hent act of seizing, from hent, verb

First Known Use

Noun

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1648, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hint was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near hint

Cite this Entry

“Hint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hint. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hint

1 of 2 noun
1
: a slight mention : a suggestion or reminder
a hint of winter in the air
2
: a slight indication of the existence or nature of something : clue
3
: a very small amount : trace
a hint of garlic

hint

2 of 2 verb
: to bring to mind by or give a hint
hinter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hint

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