noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɪnˌsɪnjuˈeɪʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N S IH2 N Y UW0 EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act or process of insinuating; a creeping, winding, or flowing in.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means; — formerly used in a good sense, as of friendly influence or interposition.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The art or power of gaining good will by a prepossessing manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
That which is insinuated; a hint; a suggestion, innuendo or intimation by distant allusion
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Slander may be conveyed by insinuations.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
the act of gaining acceptance or affection for yourself by persuasive and subtle blandishments
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she refused to use insinuation in order to gain favor
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ingratiation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: blandishment, wheedling
6
noun
Meaning 6
an indirect (and usually malicious) implication
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: innuendo
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: implication
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French insinuation, from Old French, from Latin insinuatio, from īnsinuō (“to push in, creep in, steal in”), from in (“in”) + sinus (“a winding, bend, bay, fold, bosom”).
Across languages
Translations
35 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
подмазване
(podmazvane)
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
Bulgarian:
докарване
(dokarvane)
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
French:
insinuation
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
Georgian:
ინსინუაცია
(insinuacia)
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
German:
Einschmeicheln
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
German:
Anbiedern
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
German:
Bauchpinseln
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
German:
Einschmeichelei
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
German:
Anbiederung
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
Russian:
инсинуа́ция
(insinuácija)
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
Spanish:
insinuación
— act of gaining favor, affection, or influence, by gentle or artful means
Bulgarian:
намек
(namek)
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Bulgarian:
инсинуация
(insinuacija)
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Catalan:
insinuació
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Danish:
insinuation
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
French:
insinuation
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Georgian:
ინსინუაცია
(insinuacia)
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
German:
Unterstellung
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
German:
Andeutung
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
German:
Anspielung
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
German:
versteckte Andeutung
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
German:
unterschwellige Anspielung
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
German:
Insinuation
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Italian:
insinuazione
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Polish:
insynuacja
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Portuguese:
insinuação
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Russian:
инсинуа́ция
(insinuácija)
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Russian:
намёк
(namjók)
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Serbo-Croatian:
insinuacija
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Spanish:
insinuación
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Swedish:
insinuation
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Tagalog:
parinig
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Tagalog:
patama
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Tagalog:
patutsada
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
Ottoman Turkish:
كنایه
(kinâye)
— a suggestion or intimation by distant allusion
