insinuate
insinuate Lexical Profile
insinuate Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To suggest or hint at something unpleasant or disparaging in an indirect and artfully covert manner.
"The defense attorney tried to insinuate that the witness had altered the financial records."
To maneuver oneself into a favorable position by subtle, gradual, or artful manipulation.
"Over several months, the ambitious consultant managed to insinuate himself into the executive board's inner circle."
To slide, wind, or introduce something slowly and sinuous into a narrow space or opening.
"Fine desert sand began to insinuate itself through the tiny crevices around the window frame."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unlike 'imply' or 'suggest', which can be neutral, 'insinuate' almost always carries a negative or pejorative connotation, indicating a sly, underhanded hint or a covertly maneuvered position.
• Rhymes for insinuate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century from Latin 'insinuatus', the past participle of 'insinuare' (to thrust into the bosom, wind one's way into), formed from 'in-' (in) and 'sinuare' (to bend or wind, from 'sinus', meaning a curve or fold).