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
Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 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
The Steelers mustered just 166 yards of total offense, and things looked even more bleak after the game when quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw an unnamed wide receiver under the bus by insinuating someone had been skipping out on the team’s film studying.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
Yet the average analyst surveyed by LSEG has a buy rating and price target insinuating shares can add close 15% over the next year.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2025
This included repeating racist comments in 2019, insinuating a claim that Blacks are less intelligent than Whites due to genetics.
—Christina Zdanowicz, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
The follow-up tease showed someone holding a bunch of wires, insinuating that her costume likely has some animatronics involved.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025
In addition to winning Francesca to her cause, the episode also reveals that Fringilla Vigo is also acting as Yennefer’s mole, insinuating herself with Vilgefortz while passing information back to the sorceresses.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
As Kelce added to a couple weeks ago by imitating Mahomes as payback for Mahomes insinuating Kelce couldn’t find Brazil on the map.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 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
No plot twist where Vecna’s hand twitches in some place beyond the Upside Down, insinuating a never-ending ending!
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 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
The Steelers mustered just 166 yards of total offense, and things looked even more bleak after the game when quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw an unnamed wide receiver under the bus by insinuating someone had been skipping out on the team’s film studying.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
Yet the average analyst surveyed by LSEG has a buy rating and price target insinuating shares can add close 15% over the next year.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2025
This included repeating racist comments in 2019, insinuating a claim that Blacks are less intelligent than Whites due to genetics.
—Christina Zdanowicz, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
The follow-up tease showed someone holding a bunch of wires, insinuating that her costume likely has some animatronics involved.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025
In addition to winning Francesca to her cause, the episode also reveals that Fringilla Vigo is also acting as Yennefer’s mole, insinuating herself with Vilgefortz while passing information back to the sorceresses.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
As Kelce added to a couple weeks ago by imitating Mahomes as payback for Mahomes insinuating Kelce couldn’t find Brazil on the map.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insinuating
Adjective
-
The allure of their relationship is undeniable, but charming as their chemistry is, something is definitely off.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
-
For a quintessential small-town Vermont experience, stay at the charming Mad River Barn right around the corner.—
Lydia Price,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hannah cares for a charming high school athlete while working with Charlie to cover their tracks by infiltrating the hospital computer system.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Jan. 2026
-
As early as 2019, Fuentes spoke to his followers about infiltrating the right by blending in with the rest of the GOP.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The firm also raised its price target to $63 from $61, implying nearly 13% upside from Thursday's close.—
Sean Conlon,Pia Singh,
CNBC,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Trump seems to be implying that Maduro was waging not just a war with drugs against the United States, but also a war with people.—
Javier Corrales,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But even those who use TA say there’s something odd about inserting English letters in a sentence of Chinese characters.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
26 Dec. 2025
-
The Justice Department argued that the judge had overstepped his authority by inserting himself into questions of foreign policy.—
NPR Washington Desk,
NPR,
22 Dec. 2025
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
-
That's fine by Rodgers, who knows a thing or two about sneaking in the playoffs and going on a run.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Harry proposed 10 months later in November 2017, and the couple spent their first Sandringham Christmas together the next month before sneaking away to the French Riviera for New Year’s 2018.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The interdisciplinary approach brought the duke’s life and death to a stunning clarity — indicating how analyses can shed new light on age-old mysteries, even murders.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Three had New England winning by one score while three had Tampa Bay winning by one score, indicating that contest may be one of the most exciting of Week 10.—
Jacob Camenker,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The health scare occurred at the Chopard Trophee dinner just as Festival director Thierry Fremaux was introducing actor Francois Civil onstage, according to Variety.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Platforms across the region are raising prices, introducing higher-tier products and bundling premium sports and local content.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insinuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insinuating. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share