insinuate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to suggest or hint slyly.
He insinuated that they were lying.
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to instill or infuse subtly or artfully, as into the mind.
to insinuate doubts through propaganda.
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to bring or introduce into a position or relation by indirect or artful methods.
to insinuate oneself into favor.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(may take a clause as object) to suggest by indirect allusion, hints, innuendo, etc
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(tr) to introduce subtly or deviously
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(tr) to cause (someone, esp oneself) to be accepted by gradual approaches or manoeuvres
Related Words
See hint.
Other Word Forms
- half-insinuated adjective
- insinuative adjective
- insinuatively adverb
- insinuator noun
- insinuatory adjective
- preinsinuate verb
- preinsinuative adjective
- uninsinuated adjective
- uninsinuative adjective
Etymology
Origin of insinuate
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin insinuātus, past participle of insinuāre “to work in, instill.” See in- 2, sinuous, -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Degas’ whereabouts remained a mystery, but the case suggests that Doyle was learning how to insinuate himself in the blue-chip center of the art world, not merely on its fringes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
"I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that – and to insinuate that I did is disgusting," Platner said in a statement to the BBC.
From BBC • Oct. 22, 2025
She just didn’t put up with B.S. from guys who were trying to diminish her, call her irrational and insinuate she was clingy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 15, 2025
Reese also pointed to her ring finger in front of Clark to insinuate that she and LSU would be taking home the championship, which they did.
From Salon • Apr. 15, 2024
A scintilla of doubt had begun to insinuate itself.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
