"I don't deny there are plenty of ghosts about," he answered with insinuative deference.
A voice, which was unctuous and insinuative, emanated from the figure.
The contractor had caught no sign revealing whether his insinuative words were having effect.
The little poet was as insinuative and volcanic (by turns) as ever.
They form an agreeable contrast to the chaos of oppressive learning of the time, and have an insinuative air about them.
1520s, from Latin insinuatus, past participle of insinuare "to throw in, push in, make a way; creep in, intrude, bring in by windings and curvings, wind one's way into," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + sinuare "to wind, bend, curve," from sinus "a curve, winding." Sense of "to introduce tortuously or indirectly" is from 1640s. Related: Insinuated; insinuating; insinuatingly.
