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
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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
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Recent Examples of insinuating
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
Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
But within that slightly eccentric look, Dano gives a wily and insinuating performance.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have been on the defensive after promising full transparency and insinuating new bombshell developments in the case.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 10 July 2025
Bolsonaro never formally conceded his narrow electoral defeat to Lula in October 2022, insinuating that instead the election had been stolen.
—Anthony Pereira, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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
Some right-wing influencers and MAGA-friendly news outlets seized on the killer’s gender identity, insinuating that the shooting had something to do with them being trans.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
But within that slightly eccentric look, Dano gives a wily and insinuating performance.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have been on the defensive after promising full transparency and insinuating new bombshell developments in the case.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 10 July 2025
Bolsonaro never formally conceded his narrow electoral defeat to Lula in October 2022, insinuating that instead the election had been stolen.
—Anthony Pereira, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insinuating
Adjective
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Meyers is celebrated for her charming aesthetic of cozy neutrals.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Garcia will play Renata, a disarmingly charming leader with a natural ability to win people over with her optimism and convivial personality.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Season 5 dives into the contrast between old and new New York, with secret billionaires, mobsters and mysterious residents infiltrating the building.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The Taliban was and still is adept at infiltrating aid organizations and diverting aid to fill their coffers.—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Analyst Bonnie Herzog also set a 12-month price target of $72 per share, implying upside of 28%.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Cyrus was quick to defend herself, implying her words had been manipulated by the Times.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Give your pumpkin a floral border by inserting one or two flowers into each vial (the flowers should be big enough to cover the holes).—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Sep. 2025
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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
Adjective
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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
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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
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Form And Function In Healthcare One of my most cherished childhood memories is sneaking into my father's study and pretending to be an architect.—
Dr. Taha Kass-Hout,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Ciarlo has been a beauty aficionado from her early age of sneaking into her mother's makeup drawer and smearing Joker-esque lipstick on her face.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The 50-week moving average in July crossed above the 200-week moving average, indicating that an upward direction of trend may now be in place.—
John Navin,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Some tracks were also observed near the Apollo 17 landing site and areas associated with seismic activity or tectonic features, indicating that moonquakes or impacts may trigger the boulder falls.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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News on the red carpet for the 2025 Emmy Awards, with correspondent Zuri Hall introducing Rex, 68, as as the fiancé of McEntire, 70.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Sep. 2025
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Chinese-Canadian designer Wenny Han made a powerful debut at New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026, introducing her first full collection under the banner of Global Fashion Collective (GFC).—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insinuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insinuating. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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