Meaning & use
insinuate
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitivedisapproving
To suggest something unpleasant or accusing without saying it openly.
Grammar: Takes a that-clause or an object: she insinuated that he cheated.
Patterns
- insinuate that something
- insinuate something about someone
Are you insinuating that I forgot your birthday on purpose?
The article insinuated that the mayor had taken bribes.
He never accused her directly, but he insinuated a lot with his tone.
verbtransitiveformal
To work yourself gradually and cleverly into someone's favor or into a position, using subtle moves.
Grammar: Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun and into: insinuate yourself into something.
Patterns
- insinuate yourself into something
He insinuated himself into the director's circle of friends.
She slowly insinuated herself into the family business.
The salesman insinuated himself into the conversation without being invited.
Word forms
| third person singular | insinuates |
|---|---|
| past tense | insinuated |
| past participle | insinuated |
| -ing form | insinuating |
Common combinations
- insinuate that
- She insinuated that the contract was unfair.
- insinuate yourself into
- He insinuated himself into the committee by flattering its leader.
- insinuate something about
- Don't insinuate anything about my honesty.
- unfairly insinuate
- The newspaper unfairly insinuated that she had lied.
- insinuating tone
- He spoke in an insinuating tone that made her uneasy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- imply
- Imply is neutral and can be innocent, whereas insinuate nearly always carries a hint of accusation or sly intent.
- hint
- Hint suggests a light, often friendly clue, while insinuate suggests something unpleasant is being slipped in.
- suggest
- Suggest is the broad everyday word for putting forward an idea, with none of the sly, negative tone of insinuate.
- intimate
- Intimate, in this formal sense, means to make something known indirectly, but it lacks the accusing edge of insinuate.
Opposites
Word family
- insinuation noun
- an indirect, usually unpleasant suggestion
- insinuating adjective
- suggesting something unpleasant indirectly
- insinuatingly adverb
- in a way that hints at something unpleasant
- insinuator noun
- a person who insinuates
Commonly confused: insinuate or insist?
insinuate vs insist
Insist means to demand or state something firmly, while insinuate means to suggest something unpleasant indirectly.
Practice
Which sentence shows the strongest sense of insinuate?
Choose one answer.
Insinuate means to suggest something negative without stating it openly, as in the second sentence. The others are neutral suggestions or direct statements.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “insinuate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.