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

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

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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

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

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 suggest Court documents have previously suggested the Tates’ online empire brought in millions. — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 None of this suggests attorneys general should hesitate to enforce antitrust laws when genuine violations occur. — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026 During August camp, Wilson has been more stout against the run than his 2025 Pro Football Focus grades would suggest. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Michelin's top rating, three stars, suggests a restaurant is worth a dedicated trip. — James Powel, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suggest

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suggest

Verb

Meteorologists said the majority of model guidance does not indicate a credible hurricane threat to California during the second week of September.

— Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
An internal company memo from around the time of the recovery mission — also obtained by CNBC — indicates Coupang coordinated the computer recovery at the behest of a high-ranking national security officer from the South Korean president’s office.

— Justin Papp, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of indicate

Verb

Arjun Bhatia, an analyst at William Blair who recommends buying Salesforce shares, said investors who turned negative on cloud software companies or eliminated their exposure altogether due to AI concerns, are starting to come back.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Yeo recommends keeping treats below 10% of a cat’s daily calories or using part of the regular food allowance as rewards.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of recommend

Verb

Where The Application Fell Short bunq, a Dutch neobank that passed 20 million users across Europe last September, proposed a New York bank offering deposit accounts and unsecured credit cards through a subscription model.

— AJ Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
NuCube Energy and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) have begun a research and development project to validate the heat-pipe technology at the heart of NuCube’s proposed advanced microreactor.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of propose

Verb

Advanced Micro Devices — The chip stock gained 5% after Raymond James upgraded the semiconductor company to strong buy from outperform, with a new $641 price target that implied 40% upside from Monday’s close.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
The Dorchester team came just short of implying that the Pierre was some sort of deathtrap.

— Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of imply

Verb

Their focus is principally Travis Kelce, who is reclined on an outdoor sofa, posing for a Tommy Hilfiger campaign.

— Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during winter pose Kyiv’s toughest challenge of the war yet, as per officials and national security experts.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of pose

Verb

Sweet Stack offers a variety of flavors, including plain, strawberry, mango, lemon, thai tea and brown sugar.

— Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, a Democrat, said Uthmeier likely wasn’t called to testify because the grand jury didn’t want to offer him immunity.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of offer

Browse Nearby Words

sugary

suggest

suggested

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“Suggest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suggest. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of suggest

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