hint
Americannoun
-
hints
plural
-
an indirect, covert, or helpful suggestion; clue.
Give me a hint as to his identity.
- Synonyms:
- inkling, reminder, memorandum, innuendo, insinuation, allusion
-
a very slight or hardly noticeable amount; soupçon.
a hint of garlic in the salad dressing.
-
perceived indication or suggestion; note; intimation.
a hint of spring in the air.
-
Obsolete. an occasion or opportunity.
verb (used with object)
-
hints,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hinted,
past participle, past
-
hinting
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
hints,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hinted,
past participle, past
-
hinting
present participle
noun
-
a suggestion or implication given in an indirect or subtle manner
he dropped a hint
-
a helpful piece of advice or practical suggestion
-
a small amount; trace
verb
Usage
What does hint mean?
A hint is an indirect, disguised, or helpful suggestion. In other words, it’s a clue, as in Can you just give me a hint about what my birthday present is?
A hint that suggests something can be planned or unplanned, and it can even be hidden using language that only some parties may understand. A hint is usually something you see, hear, or read.
Hint can also mean a slightly noticeable amount of, such as with a taste or a smell, as in I taste a hint of fennel in this sausage.
To hint means to give a hint, as in Our teacher hinted that we might not have to take a final exam, but they wouldn’t say for sure.
To hint also means to imply something rather than stating it directly, as in The ending hinted at a sequel coming but never said it outright.
Example: I’ll never figure out the puzzle if you don’t give me a hint.
Synonym Usage
Hint, intimate, insinuate, suggest denote the conveying of an idea to the mind indirectly or without full or explicit statement. To hint is to convey an idea covertly or indirectly, but intelligibly: to hint that one would like a certain present; to hint that bits of gossip might be true. To intimate is to give a barely perceptible hint, often with the purpose of influencing action: to intimate that something may be possible. To insinuate is to hint artfully, often at what one would not dare to say directly: to insinuate something against someone's reputation. Suggest denotes particularly recalling something to the mind or starting a new train of thought by means of association of ideas: The name doesn't suggest anything to me.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
hintsimple
-
hintssimple
-
have hintedperfect
-
has hintedperfect
-
am hintingprogressive
-
are hintingprogressive
-
is hintingprogressive
-
have been hintingperfect progressive
-
has been hintingperfect progressive
Past
-
hintedsimple
-
had hintedperfect
-
was hintingprogressive
-
were hintingprogressive
-
had been hintingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hint
First recorded in 1595–1605; (noun) originally, “opportunity, occasion,” apparently variant of obsolete hent “grasp, act of seizing,” derivative of the verb: “to grasp, take,” Middle English henten, Old English hentan; (verb) derivative of the noun
Explanation
A hint is a slight indication or clue. Your mother might hint at the fact that she doesn’t like your shoes, while your grandmother will just come right out and say that they’re ugly. If you’re a journalist following a lead, you’ll prefer that your source give you all the facts, rather than just a hint. A hint can be an indirect suggestion and it is also a very small amount — maybe you take just a hint of sugar in your coffee. As a verb, hint is an intimation or subtle suggestion. It’s also something you drop, like when you hint that you want a particular video game for your birthday.
Vocabulary lists containing hint
Beowulf vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Words for Cheese Writers
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Of the thousands who like Mahmoud went missing during the Hamas-Israel war, the crushing majority remain unaccounted for, disappeared in the death-stalked bedlam of Gaza, no hint as to whether they’re dead or alive.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
The near-complete certainty of a rate hike leaves Lagarde’s remarks, particularly about inflation, as an important hint at the rate path ahead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
A dinosaur statue stands guard outside a temple, a hint at the ancient giants buried deep in the earth below making up northeastern Thailand's "dinosaur rush".
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
In England's top six, Jordan Cox and Dan Lawrence again made half-centuries to hint they are worth persevering with, while opener Emilio Gay still needs a score to cement his place.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Is it a hint of coming frost and snow?
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Its anatomy does provide some hints about how it may live and feed.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
For investors wondering what comes next, Monday’s volatility offers some hints about the drivers of the AI trade.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
Investors will also pay close attention to comments from Warsh that give any hints on the outlook for interest rates over the coming months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The band, who reunited for the first time since splitting in 2009 for the successful Live '25 tour last year, have been dropping hints about tour venues on social media recently.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
He had hoped that, with Fiver behind him, he could lure them with hints and promises: and he had been right.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
He has hinted the dot plot could be toned down or eventually shelved, but it’s unclear if he has enough support inside the Fed to take such a step.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
In a press release after the Istanbul panel, the IBA hinted there was more to come.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
In recent weeks, however, several Fed policymakers -- including Warsh himself -- have hinted that if inflation does not show clear signs of slowing, the central bank will have to act by raising interest rates.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
The big striker, who McInnes hinted would be called up by the Czech Republic, is a willing worker but can he deliver the sort of scoring numbers Shankland has consistently produced in the Premiership?
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
“I’ll look at it later, okay? I’ve really got to finish this social studies. We’ve got a test tomorrow, and I haven’t even done the whole study sheet yet,” Jonah hinted.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Ika's analysis found one account reposted nine such claims within just over a tenth of a second -- hinting at possible coordination.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
The central bank also released a constant stream of forward guidance hinting at low rates in the future to deter markets from bidding up yields.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
In that trial, Brambles swore he was the victim of a “tragic mis-identification” while hinting at a conspiracy against him because of a stormy 23-year career.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
"I was a number 10 as a player," he said, hinting he would retain the role Michael Olise thrived in for much of the summer.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
A chill crept down Tyrion's spine as he realized what the sellsword was hinting at.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
