SUGGEST Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'suggest' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of suggest are hint , imply , insinuate , and intimate . While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," 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

Q: In what contexts can 'hint' take the place of 'suggest'?

The meanings of hint and suggest 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

Q: How do 'imply' and 'suggest' relate to one another?

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

Q: Where would 'insinuate' be a reasonable alternative to 'suggest'?

While in some cases nearly identical to suggest , insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner. // insinuated that there were shady dealings

Q: When might 'intimate' be a better fit than 'suggest'?

In some situations, the words intimate and suggest are roughly equivalent. However, intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor. // intimates that there is more to the situation than meets the eye

suggest

verb

səg-ˈjest

Definition of suggest next

as in to indicate

to convey an idea indirectly this letter suggests that there's more going on than she's telling us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to recommend

to put (something) forward as one's choice for a wise or proper course of action I suggested that they talk to a therapist about their marital problems

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as in to propose

to set before the mind for consideration might I suggest, for an appetizer, our jumbo shrimp cocktail?

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How is the word suggest distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of suggest are hint, imply, insinuate, and intimate. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," 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

In what contexts can hint take the place of suggest?

The meanings of hint and suggest 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 do imply and suggest relate to one another?

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

Where would insinuate be a reasonable alternative to suggest?

While in some cases nearly identical to suggest, 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 suggest?

In some situations, the words intimate and suggest are roughly equivalent. However, intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

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

Examples of suggest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Recent polling suggests the 2024 presidential election remains too close to call, with a model produced by election aggregator FiveThirtyEight giving Harris a 1.4 point lead with 48.1 percent of the vote, against Trump's 46.7 percent. —

Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 As Deadline reported in September, HBO executive Casey Bloys most recently suggested the Harry Potter television series would air its first season in late 2026 or early 2027. —

Tommy McArdle, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 Those with older iPhones who have upgraded to iOS 18 face similar issues with similar numbers, suggesting this is a software issue. —

Ewan Spence, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 One commenter even suggested that gabspeak could do a little experiment that might change her mind about hand washing. —

Erin Clack, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for suggest

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suggest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Suggest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suggest. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

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Last Updated: 3 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of suggest

verb

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Examples of suggest in a Sentence

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