suggestive

1 of 2

adjective

sug·​ges·​tive səg-ˈje-stiv 

sə-ˈje-

1

a

: giving a suggestion : indicative

suggestive of a past era

b

: full of suggestions : stimulating thought

… provided a suggestive … commentary on the era …

—Lloyd Morris

c

: stirring mental associations : evocative

2

: suggesting or tending to suggest something improper or indecent : risqué

suggestively adverb

suggestiveness noun

suggestiveness

2 of 2

noun

sug·​ges·​tive·​ness

-tivnə̇s, 

-tēv- also -təv-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being suggestive: such as

a

: stimulation to thought : inspiration

your suggestiveness … and affection have enriched life to me

—O. W. Holmes †1935

b

: evocativeness

his writing was … possessed of an extraordinary power of suggestiveness

—J. T. Farrell

c

: intimation of or allusion to something held improper or obscene

suggestiveness tended to take the place of honest bawdry

—W. B. Adams

Synonyms of suggestive

Adjective

• spicy
• vulgar
• blue
• lewd

Examples of suggestive in a Sentence

Adjective

making unwelcome suggestive remarks to a subordinate will be regarded as sexual harassment

a haunting and suggestive song about a long-lost love

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And what made the clip even more jarring to the average eye is that Sweeney was in a suggestive pose at the time. —Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026

Which seems a suggestive concept. —Nick Newman, IndieWire, 1 June 2026

One infant went on to experience symptoms suggestive of acute measles meningoencephalitis and was hospitalized weeks later, outside the timeframe of the study. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026

The text messages in 2024 between Johnson and Duffey revealed that the two men used suggestive language while discussing women colleagues. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for suggestive

• congestive
• digestive
• festive
• restive

Kids Definition

suggestive

adjective

sug·​ges·​tive sə(g)-ˈjes-tiv 

1

a

: giving a suggestion : indicative

suggestive of a past era

b

: full of suggestions : stimulating thought

c

: stirring mental associations

2

: suggesting something improper or indecent

suggestively adverb

suggestiveness noun

Medical Definition

suggestive

adjective

sug·​ges·​tive sə(g)-ˈjes-tiv 

1

: serving to indicate

a butterfly-shaped red rash … is highly suggestive of the disease

—S. E. Goldfinger et al.

2

: tending to act like or have the effect of suggestion

Legal Definition

suggestive

adjective

sug·​ges·​tive

: giving a suggestion or making a hint: as

a

: being a trademark, trade dress, trade name, or service mark that requires the consumer to use thought and imagination to perceive the nature of the product or service

Note: Suggestive marks are entitled to trademark protection without proof of secondary meaning.

b

: relating to or being a lineup that in some way suggests to the witness which member of the lineup is in fact the defendant