intimation

noun

in·​ti·​ma·​tion ˌin-tə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce intimation (audio)
plural intimations
: an indirect, usually subtle suggestion, indication, or hint
intimations that she may retire from teaching next year
It can be any time from the earliest intimation of fall, when wetland maples turn a searing red, to the third week of October, when gaudy leaves carpet the forest floor.Madeline Drexler
They bored me stiff but George had expertise and gave occasional intimations of power in reserve.Tobias Wolff

Examples of intimation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That these intimations of progress come slowly for Webster is part of the album’s relatable charm. Joshua Minsoo Kim, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024 Ditto the flashbacks to her middle-class family back in the West African country, who can afford to hire armed security guards while intimations of civil war percolate around them. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2024 The research paper on which Ladapo based his intimation that the vaccines breach the FDA’s DNA contamination standard is self-refuting. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024 Also, why would a plastic doll have intimations of mortality? Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Dec. 2023 At least Barbie was jolted into action by a stabbing intimation of mortality. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 26 Oct. 2023 The problem is that all those scoops and curls and shadows, those flecks of luxury and intimations of depth, represent just the kind of decorative line items that get stricken from a conscientious budget. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2023 To modern eyes, this reads as an appealing universality, achieved through abstracting the particulars into intimations that are left up to the viewer to resolve. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 23 June 2023 Thankfully, Friedkin insisted on keeping Blatty’s backdrop, with its intimations of gothic mystery and Jesuitical inquiry. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intimation.' 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

1531, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intimation was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near intimation

Cite this Entry

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

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