intimation
noun
in·ti·ma·tion
ˌin-tə-ˈmā-shən 
plural intimations
: an indirect, usually subtle suggestion, indication, or hint
intimations that she may retire from teaching next year
It can be any time from the earliest intimation of fall, when wetland maples turn a searing red, to the third week of October, when gaudy leaves carpet the forest floor.—
Madeline Drexler
Madeline DrexlerThey bored me stiff but George had expertise and gave occasional intimations of power in reserve.—Tobias Wolff
Tobias WolffExamples of intimation in a Sentence
the newscaster could not resist giving a slight intimation that the voting was going contrary to predictions
Recent Examples on the Web
There are intimations of down-home prosperity, like horn blasts in the fog.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 May 2025
Worse, intimations of foreign involvement might trigger a nuclear war, Johnson warned.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
And the longer these series go on, the more overwhelming such intimations of superstar mortality tend to become.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 May 2025
In legalese mixed with intimations of personal pain, Bar lists Netanyahu’s attempts to turn the Shin Bet into a secret police protecting the prime minister personally rather than the nation.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimation
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.
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 May 2025
Worse, intimations of foreign involvement might trigger a nuclear war, Johnson warned.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
And the longer these series go on, the more overwhelming such intimations of superstar mortality tend to become.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 May 2025
In legalese mixed with intimations of personal pain, Bar lists Netanyahu’s attempts to turn the Shin Bet into a secret police protecting the prime minister personally rather than the nation.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intimation
Cite this Entry
“Intimation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intimation. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share