insinuation
Americannoun
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an indirect or covert suggestion or hint, especially of a derogatory nature.
She made nasty insinuations about her rivals.
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covert or artful suggestion or hinting, as of something implied.
His methods of insinuation are most ingenious.
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subtle or artful instillment into the mind.
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the art or power of stealing into the affections and pleasing; ingratiation.
He made his way by flattery and insinuation.
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Archaic. a slow winding, worming, or stealing in.
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Obsolete. an ingratiating act or speech.
noun
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an indirect or devious hint or suggestion
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the act or practice of insinuating
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of insinuation
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin insinuātion- (stem of insinuātiō ); see insinuate, -ion
Explanation
An insinuation is a sly way of saying something, usually something insulting. It can also be a way of worming your way into a group or situation. "You're dumb!" is an insult. An insinuation is different: it's a way of indirectly saying something. Insinuation evolved from the Latin insinuationem, meaning "entrance through a narrow way.” So an insinuation is like an insult that sneaks in the back door. Mentioning that your cousin could try harder in school could be an insinuation that your cousin’s lazy. Another kind of insinuation is when someone, often through flattery, gets herself accepted by others. Both kinds of insinuations are sneaky.
Vocabulary lists containing insinuation
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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Their Eyes Were Watching God
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The Kite Runner
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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.
“You are … on notice, before release, that the insinuation is false, that the material refuting it is public, and that you chose not to be told the rest,” Spiro wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Forrest, the attorney, declined to comment on matters related to the Fiserv litigation but said “any insinuation that there was a lack of investment in the company is false.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Patel’s style has been built around dark insinuation, and in this case his phrasing was official enough to seem consequential, yet vague enough to be exploited.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
"Any insinuation, without evidence, that a member of the government engaged in these acts is baseless and irresponsible," a White House spokesperson told several media outlets.
From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026
There was a note of insinuation in his voice, and I looked up from tying my shoe, breathing with conscious evenness.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
