hint 1 of 2

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as in glimmer
an almost imperceptible sign of something there was the slightest hint of scorn in her voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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hint

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verb

as in to indicate
to convey an idea indirectly kept hinting that she wouldn't mind an invitation to spend the weekend at their beach house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hint distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hint are imply, insinuate, intimate, and suggest. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement.

hinted that she might get the job

How are the words imply and suggest related as synonyms of hint?

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

When is insinuate a more appropriate choice than hint?

The meanings of insinuate and hint largely overlap; however, insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

When might intimate be a better fit than hint?

The words intimate and hint can be used in similar contexts, but intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

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

In what contexts can suggest take the place of hint?

While in some cases nearly identical to hint, 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

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 hint
Noun
The raccoon took the hint, shimmied down the rope and lumbered onto a ladder before making a less-than-graceful landing on the porch below. Ronnie Li, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025 Cherry is mild with hints of contrasting sweet and tart flavors. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Medvedev said on Telegram, in comments translated by Reuters, seeming to hint that Moscow’s response would be a nuclear one. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 Its detection in computer simulations of solar eruptions would hint to where these space weather events may be forming. Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hint
Noun
  • If previous release dates are any indication, the fourth installment will likely debut next year.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The British police, however, were given an indication of Daniel’s ruthlessness.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Within both design and fashion, the Middle East is one of those buoyant markets providing a glimmer of hope amid a difficult economy worldwide.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Today’s flight offers a glimmer of hope that a V3 booster catch could be on the horizon.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts near-to-above normal snowfall on the Ohio Valley's eastern side, which includes Pittsburgh and Charleston, South Carolina, and a below-normal amount on the western side, near the southern tip of Illinois.
    Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Jack and his friends left $20,000 in tips, which comes out to a decent $1,818 each, though 1 million wouldn’t be enough.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Pacific Time, under a sprinkling Seattle sky and a closed roof at T-Mobile Park.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • When the Linguina Monograno all’Astice arrives, there are oohs and aahs as a waiter tosses the pasta in front of guests and finishes with a sprinkling of zest from a cedro, a large Italian citrus.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Their 3-1 victory over the Brewers on Thursday, in a game that felt more comfortable than the score might have indicated, put them in position to get back to the World Series for the second year in a row, third time in six years and fifth time in the last nine.
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Their results indicate that thermal machines functioning at the atomic scale are capable of converting not only heat but also correlations into usable work.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The plenum will be closely monitored by outsiders for clues about the inner workings of China’s opaque ruling Communist Party.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Days after Sora 2 launched, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube filled with tutorials on how to scrub out its tiny watermark — the only clue AI made a clip.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • With Zacha planted in the slot, Charlie McAvoy sent a pass down low to him and Zacha made a nifty touch pass to Pastrnak at the side of the net.
    Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The Libra moon meeting Venus encourages putting an artistic touch on your sanctuary.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Bethune heeded the advice of linebackers coach Johnny Holland, who told him to be himself.
    Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Yet much of Mason’s advice is simply about being useful, by delivering facts and opinions in a clear, elegant way.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hint. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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