suggest
Americanverb (used with object)
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suggests,
present (3rd person singular)
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suggested,
past participle, past
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suggesting
present participle
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to mention or introduce (an idea, proposition, plan, etc.) for consideration or possible action.
The architect suggested that the building be restored.
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to propose (a person or thing) as suitable or possible for some purpose.
We suggested him for president.
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(of things) to prompt the consideration, making, doing, etc., of.
The glove suggests that she was at the scene of the crime.
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to bring before a person's mind indirectly or without plain expression.
I didn't tell him to leave, I only suggested it.
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to call (something) up in the mind through association or natural connection of ideas.
The music suggests a still night.
verb
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to put forward (a plan, idea, etc) for consideration
I suggest Smith for the post
a plan suggested itself
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to evoke (a person, thing, etc) in the mind of someone by the association of ideas
that painting suggests home to me
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to give an indirect or vague hint of
his face always suggests his peace of mind
Synonym Usage
See hint.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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suggestednessnoun
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suggesternoun
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presuggestverb (used with object)
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unsuggestedadjective
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unsuggestingadjective
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suggestinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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suggestsimple
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suggestssimple
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have suggestedperfect
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has suggestedperfect
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am suggestingprogressive
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are suggestingprogressive
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is suggestingprogressive
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have been suggestingperfect progressive
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has been suggestingperfect progressive
Past
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suggestedsimple
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had suggestedperfect
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was suggestingprogressive
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were suggestingprogressive
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had been suggestingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of suggest
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin suggestus (past participle of suggerere “to build up, supply, hint, suggest”), equivalent to sug- sug- + ges- (past participle stem of gerere “to carry, do, display”) + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
To suggest is to propose or hint. If you suggest going out for ice cream, nobody's going to object. If you suggest that your sister should get the frozen yogurt instead, she might think you are suggesting something about her weight. The verb suggest is also used when people speak about scientific research. Experimental results are often used to suggest whether a theory might be correct. For example, if a patient takes a new drug and starts feeling better, that will suggest the drug is working. Suggest can also mean to drop a hint. If you find a polite way to suggest that the pot roast is inedible, you don't come out and declare it directly. You wouldn't want to hurt Mom's feelings.
Vocabulary lists containing suggest
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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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.
See Examples For:
Reports suggest a crowd of approximately 50 people were launching fireworks and causing disorder.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Executives described agents that suggest strategies or campaigns, then write the emails or build the websites.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Other measures of labor costs suggest compensation is rising slightly faster, but any way you slice it, labor costs simply aren’t a big contributor to high inflation.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
The cans suggest simply heating and eating, which I wholeheartedly endorse.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
He’d then suggest getting an assistant like Seed Collector, and if that wasn’t enough, he would recommend Devin.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
Research suggests about a third of people, external are snacking every night after their evening meal - for those aged 18-24, four in five are unable to resist.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Here's where its record suggests the slide should stop.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Third-party data suggests OpenAI has gained ground on Anthropic in enterprise AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
His framework suggests that when loyalty silences voice instead, exit becomes the only remaining option.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
Someone suggests hats until they are old enough for hair dye.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
As Sen. Raphael Warnock has already suggested, there is no reason to choose between the two.
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026
This unexpected behavior suggested that the 5-oxoETE pathway was doing something much more complicated than simply activating the immune system.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
Experts have suggested the state-level gains could circumvent that issue.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
The hand-drawn theme pays off even more in the current environment, Lieberman suggested.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Then Grandma knocked on my door and suggested I log out or something tragic might happen to the router.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
But three subsequent photos showed the animal heading in the opposite direction, suggesting it had doubled back, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
They also reported more physical symptoms, including headaches and fatigue, suggesting that the emotional burden of infertility treatment may also take a physical toll.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
According to the researchers, the regenerated enamel displayed mechanical properties comparable to those of healthy natural enamel, suggesting that the material could provide more than a temporary protective coating.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
"How does Hyrox grow triathlon? If anything they've killed triathlon," he said, while also suggesting brands would rather get in early with Hyrox athletes before they potentially appear at an Olympics.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Grabarek twisted Rape’s arm, appealing to the restaurateur’s sense of civic duty, and suggesting that, without him, a far more radical plan could result.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
