Synonym Chooser

How is the word insinuate distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of insinuate are hint, imply, intimate, and suggest. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

When is hint a more appropriate choice than insinuate?

The meanings of hint and insinuate largely overlap; however, 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 insinuate?

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 could intimate be used to replace insinuate?

While in some cases nearly identical to insinuate, intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

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

When can suggest be used instead of insinuate?

The words suggest and insinuate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 insinuate That would insinuate the Rams' quarterback missing time due to his back injury during the season. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025 And as Berend insinuates himself ever deeper into his life, Andor identifies him as a mortal enemy, not knowing that there is much — much — more to this story than first meets his eye. Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025 Musk’s post insinuated that Apple had rigged the system against ChatGPT competitors such as the Grok chatbot made by his own xAI. Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025 And who better than a famous actor to insinuate that divergence will age, like a fine wine, into assurance? Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for insinuate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insinuate
Verb
  • Martin Suarez is the only deep-undercover FBI agent in history to have infiltrated a Colombian drug cartel.
    Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Tyler Perry's gone full sicko mode with Beauty in Black, a soapy thriller about an exotic dancer who infiltrates the lives of the Bellarie beauty dynasty and disrupts its connections to a seedy criminal underbelly.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The bank double upgraded shares of the chocolate and cocoa products company to buy from sell and hiked its price target to $222 from $170, which implies more than 19% upside from Monday's closing price.
    Sean Conlon, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
  • As the name implies, this chili comes together in a flash, just like lightning.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • By inserting an extra biochemical cycle into a model plant, the researchers boosted growth, seed yield, and fat production without increasing water demand.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The full-on answers are below for each group, finally inserting the four words in each category.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Aloe vera sneaks in lightweight hydration, and wheat protein helps strengthen to keep breakage at bay.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Read about a man who has snuck into prestigious events for nearly a decade.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And many Democrats, who polls indicate still believe in Russiagate in significant numbers, likely clapped.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Remember that cognitive difficulty often signals growth, just as physical soreness after exercise indicates muscle development.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The training introduces the concepts used in stream team monitoring such as hydrology, natural and human impact on streams and monitoring methods.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Punk introduced himself as AJ Lee’s husband.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But Donaggio prefers to worm his way into your brain — and into the deepest pit of fears in your stomach.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Last month, hackers wormed their way into Tea and accessed sensitive user data; 70,000 user images and more than 1 million private messages reportedly were leaked, including communications about abortions, users’ driver’s-license photos, and phone numbers that had been shared in private messages.
    Albert Fox Cahn, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But tax policy analysts and lawyers said nothing in the guidance so far suggests adult performers would be excluded.
    Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Indications suggest that the adoption of artificial intelligence is continuing at a rapid pace.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Insinuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insinuate. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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