as in charming
likely or intended to win one's affection
the fortune hunter's insinuating attentions were having their intended effect on the naive heiress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in infiltrating
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way
years were needed for the agent to insinuate himself into the terrorist organization
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in implying
to convey an idea indirectly
are you insinuating that I won by cheating?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in inserting
to put among or between others
quietly insinuated herself among the concertgoers raptly listening to the piano solo
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insinuating
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
In the process, the day-to-day nightmare of Dana’s new reality gets lost, even if the more insinuating discomfort of her present-day reality has been enhanced.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Dec. 2022
The complaint says that since at least early 2021, McKillips had been posting messages insinuating or explicitly threatening to harm the government or federal agents.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2022
But Johnson’s pieces were intimate and insinuating, not imposing, rarely much larger than a comic book and easily overlooked.
—Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 22 July 2022
The only sparks in the evening came from countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo (Dionysus/Dracula), who commanded attention at every appearance with his insinuating, chromatic vocal line and some spectacular costumes by Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko.
—Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2021
The Harptones had Willie Winfield, a tenor vocalist with immaculate pitch and an insinuating way with a phrase, and Raoul Cita, a gifted vocal arranger who made sure the group's voicings were always distinctive.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2021
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The script, penned by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, becomes bizarrely moralistic by the end, insinuating that the debased and debauched might perhaps see their problems solved by becoming domesticated.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2026
The letter challenged the validity of Madrid's candidacy, insinuating that Madrid was a resident of Laveen, not Apache County.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Kafer continues the bias against wolves by insinuating that the state has reintroduced lynx, elk, moose, turkeys, grouse, ferrets, and now wolverines based on science, but not wolves.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
As an exhaustive New York Times Magazine investigation recently explained, Epstein built his fortune mainly by insinuating himself as a wealth manager for a few superrich old men and drawing hefty fees.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Not to protect steelworkers or correct trade imbalances—and no one is insinuating that fentanyl is flowing in from Nuuk.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Bright, young census surveyors show up and ask insinuating questions, issue casual threats behind gleaming smiles.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2026
But in October 2024, Vladimir Kramnik, a former Russian World Chess Champion who Naroditsky grew up idolizing, began publicly insinuating that Naroditsky might be using computer assistance during online games.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Rather than viewing the insinuating and undeniably creepy Gacy as an inherent threat, Macmanus finds the tragedy in the disparate and desperate circumstances amid which Gacy might have represented an illusion of hope.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
In the process, the day-to-day nightmare of Dana’s new reality gets lost, even if the more insinuating discomfort of her present-day reality has been enhanced.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Dec. 2022
The complaint says that since at least early 2021, McKillips had been posting messages insinuating or explicitly threatening to harm the government or federal agents.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2022
But Johnson’s pieces were intimate and insinuating, not imposing, rarely much larger than a comic book and easily overlooked.
—Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 22 July 2022
The only sparks in the evening came from countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo (Dionysus/Dracula), who commanded attention at every appearance with his insinuating, chromatic vocal line and some spectacular costumes by Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko.
—Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2021
The Harptones had Willie Winfield, a tenor vocalist with immaculate pitch and an insinuating way with a phrase, and Raoul Cita, a gifted vocal arranger who made sure the group's voicings were always distinctive.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2021
Verb
The Tagovailoa era didn’t fail because coach Mike McDaniel wasn’t a leader of men, which Tagovailoa was seemingly insinuating to the Atlanta media.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The script, penned by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid, becomes bizarrely moralistic by the end, insinuating that the debased and debauched might perhaps see their problems solved by becoming domesticated.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2026
The letter challenged the validity of Madrid's candidacy, insinuating that Madrid was a resident of Laveen, not Apache County.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Kafer continues the bias against wolves by insinuating that the state has reintroduced lynx, elk, moose, turkeys, grouse, ferrets, and now wolverines based on science, but not wolves.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
As an exhaustive New York Times Magazine investigation recently explained, Epstein built his fortune mainly by insinuating himself as a wealth manager for a few superrich old men and drawing hefty fees.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Not to protect steelworkers or correct trade imbalances—and no one is insinuating that fentanyl is flowing in from Nuuk.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Bright, young census surveyors show up and ask insinuating questions, issue casual threats behind gleaming smiles.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2026
But in October 2024, Vladimir Kramnik, a former Russian World Chess Champion who Naroditsky grew up idolizing, began publicly insinuating that Naroditsky might be using computer assistance during online games.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insinuating
Adjective
-
My experience Sorce is nestled off of East Seventh Street in an unassuming, yet undeniably charming building.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
And best of all, in my opinion, the old Writers Bar, which was barely a bar at all and hardly worth writing about, has been shifted to the front of the main building, greatly expanded and transformed into one of the most charming bars in a city that is full of charming bars.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By 1968, there were some three thousand Mary Kay consultants; over the following decades, the number grew to hundreds of thousands as the company expanded worldwide, infiltrating even Russia and China.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
But the show instantly makes a rod for its own back by waiting until Episode 3 to turn its hero into the Count and get all the treasure-hunting, high society-infiltrating, and Machiavellian scheming underway.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Market pricing is implying no moves in either direction before the end of the year.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In a response posted to social media, Kennedy hit back at the pediatrics academy's criticism, implying that corporate pharmaceutical funders influenced the organization's views.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Duke countered by inserting Foster for Cayden Boozer.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The software covers standard PDF tasks like editing text, inserting images, annotating documents, and merging or splitting files.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Sweeney stars as Penny Jo, a South Dakota diner waitress with an appealing smile, an ingratiating stammer, a scarf in her hair, and deep reserves of ruthless ambition.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Still, on a moment-to-moment basis, the film has tension, strong character dynamics and sharp individual portraits whose astringency gets alleviated by Gottsagen and James’ more ingratiating turns.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Late Tuesday morning, in Terminal E, the line extends three stories, including outside the airport terminal where lines are sneaking around the drop-off stations for buses.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Friends are sprawled out on the couch, or coming in and out of the room to show off their outfits, or sneaking mimosas into coffee cups.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With another piece of paper indicating her pregnancy was not ectopic, though, Hall had left the clinic thinking that concern didn’t apply to her.—
Emily Brindley
Health Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Israel has yet to publicly comment on the peace terms during the latest war of words, with reports indicating Israeli government had been blindsided with Washington's proposal.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This season, Major League Baseball is introducing something that once felt unthinkable.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Ocean Aged at Sea has as many fans as detractors, so clearly Zoeller felt like expanding this concept—and introducing it to more consumers by partnering with a cruise ship line—was the right move.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insinuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insinuating. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
