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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to propose

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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 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 suggest Check the cavity: Check the turkey's cavity for ice crystals; any remaining ice suggests the center is still partially frozen, requiring additional thawing time. —

Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2024 Juror #2’s plain-faced style suggests that Eastwood is adopting a non-Hollywood forbearance that’s as distinctly American as All Your Faces is French. —

Armond White, National Review, 22 Nov. 2024 For animal lovers who want to help Trooper right now, Dawson suggests donating to dog's mounting medical bills or sharing his story with others to raise awareness about the effects of dog fighting and animal abandonment. —

Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024 Netanyahu’s lack of strategic vision to accomplish this task, however, suggests that Israel will be prosecuting an ongoing war that has alienated many potential U.S. partners in the world. —

Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for suggest

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suggest

Verb

This indicates that the outer and internal tissues have thawed evenly.

Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2024
Along with expanding their hardware into more storefronts, Radar will also use the funding to release additional offerings about customer behavior—like whether a customer picks up and places back down an item, indicating there was something about it the shopper didn’t like.

Alexandra York, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024