MEANING
1. To suggest an idea indirectly, often with an unpleasant implication.
2. To introduce oneself or something gradually and unobtrusively.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- insinuate blame
- insinuate that someone lied
On the page
He insinuated blame without making an accusation he could defend.
Her question insinuated that the letter had been altered.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- insinuate
- Past tense
- insinuated
- Past participle
- insinuated
- Present participle
- insinuating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- insinuate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are insinuating
- Present perfect
- have/has insinuated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been insinuating
- Past
- insinuated
- Past continuous
- was/were insinuating
- Past perfect
- had insinuated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been insinuating
- Future
- will insinuate
- Future continuous
- will be insinuating
- Future perfect
- will have insinuated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been insinuating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: insinuate; insinuates; insinuated; insinuated; insinuating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: insinuates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.