noun
insinuation
ihn-sihn-yoo-AY-shuhn
noun
1
An indirect hint or suggestion, usually implying something unflattering.
"She was hurt by the insinuation that she hadn't worked hard for her promotion."
"His speech was full of insinuations he never quite spelled out."
How to Use Insinuation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sly, indirect hint, especially one that implies something bad about someone.
Common pairings
veiled insinuation
deny the insinuation
Word Forms
insinuations plural
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She was hurt by the _____ that she hadn't worked hard for her promotion.
Etymology
From Latin insinuatio, from insinuare ("to push in, creep in").