insinuation

noun

in·​sin·​u·​a·​tion (ˌ)in-ˌsin-yə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce insinuation (audio)
-yü-ˈā-
1
: something that is insinuated
especially : a sly, subtle, and usually derogatory utterance
2
: the act or process of insinuating

Examples of insinuation in a Sentence

I resent her insinuation that I can't do it without her help. He criticizes his opponents by insinuation rather than directly.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My mother was shouting, making insinuations about both my au pair and me. Stephanie Guerilus, People.com, 22 June 2025 Social media was running wild with videos and photos of Carrington’s fingers hitting Clark in the eye, with unsubstantiated claims and insinuations that Carrington had tried to injure Clark. Christine Brennan, CNN Money, 6 July 2025 Love humility and don’t mind the insinuations that cause sorrow . . . Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2025 Even so, the press release notes that JET’s plasma volume was three times larger than that of the Wendelstein reactor, which would have given JET an advantage—a not-so-subtle insinuation that, all other things being equal, the German project should be considered the true leader. Tom Metcalfe, Scientific American, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for insinuation

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of insinuation was in 1526

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Cite this Entry

“Insinuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insinuation. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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