suggest

suggest — verb

1. To offer someone a thought, possibility, or course of action for them to think a

1.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

To offer someone a thought, possibility, or course of action for them to think about and decide on.

Example

Sofie suggested going to the beach instead of the museum on Saturday.

suggest + gerund (suggested going)

Christopher suggested that we take the earlier train to avoid the crowd.

suggest + that-clause with subjunctive

Common collocations
  • suggest an idea
  • suggest a plan
  • suggest a solution
  • suggest a change
  • suggest a course of action
Synonyms
  • propose

    more formal; often used in official or business contexts

  • recommend

    stronger endorsement; the speaker personally approves of the idea

  • advise

    suggests the speaker has expertise or authority on the matter

Antonyms
  • dissuade

    to advise someone against doing something

Grammar Patterns

suggest + gerund

suggest + that-clause

suggest + wh-clause

suggest + noun phrase

Usage Note

Never followed by a to-infinitive or by 'someone + to-infinitive'. ❌ 'She suggested to go' / 'She suggested me to go' are incorrect. ✅ 'She suggested going' or 'She suggested that I go.' The that-clause often uses the subjunctive form of the verb (no -s for third person).

Common Mistakes

He suggested me to take a break.
He suggested that I take a break.' or 'He suggested taking a break.
'suggest' is never used with an indirect object followed by to-infinitive.
She suggested to leave early.
She suggested leaving early.
the gerund form is required after 'suggest', not the to-infinitive.

2. To express a thought or emotion in a way that is not clear or direct, leaving th

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

To express a thought or emotion in a way that is not clear or direct, leaving the listener to guess what is meant.

Example

The look on Yael's face suggested she was not happy with the decision.

suggest + that-clause (without 'that')

Ari's slow replies suggested that he had lost interest in the project.

suggest + that-clause (inference from behaviour)

Common collocations
  • suggest a link
  • suggest a connection
  • suggest a reason
  • suggest a possibility
  • suggest something about
Synonyms
  • imply

    the meaning is hidden within what is said, rather than openly stated

  • hint

    giving a small clue rather than a full statement; often deliberate

  • insinuate

    negative connotation; hinting at something unpleasant or indirect

Antonyms
  • state

    to say something clearly and directly

  • declare

    to say something in a firm, open, and formal way

Grammar Patterns

suggest + that-clause

suggest + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often paired with modal verbs ('may', 'might', 'could') to soften the claim: 'His tone may suggest anger, but he did not say so directly.' The that-clause can omit 'that' in informal contexts.

Common Mistakes

His face suggested about being tired.
His face suggested that he was tired.
'suggest' does not take the preposition 'about' in this sense.

3. To make someone think of a particular image, memory, or idea because of a connec

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

To make someone think of a particular image, memory, or idea because of a connection or resemblance.

Example

The smell of freshly baked bread suggested warm kitchens and family gatherings.

suggest + noun phrase (sensory trigger)

The painting's soft colours suggested a calm and peaceful morning by the sea.

suggest + noun phrase (evocative quality)

Common collocations
  • suggest danger
  • suggest a memory
  • suggest an image
  • suggest a feeling
  • suggest a time
Synonyms
  • evoke

    to call up a strong feeling, memory, or image, often through art or sensory experience

  • call to mind

    more formal; focuses on the act of bringing a memory into conscious awareness

  • bring to mind

    the most common everyday equivalent; interchangeable in most contexts

Antonyms
  • suppress

    to stop a thought or memory from appearing

Grammar Patterns

suggest + noun phrase

suggest + that-clause

Usage Note

The subject is usually a thing (a sight, sound, smell, scene, or object) rather than a person. The focus is on what the thing makes someone think of, not on a conscious intention to communicate.

Common Mistakes

This music suggests me of my childhood.
This music suggests my childhood.' or 'This music reminds me of my childhood.
'suggest' does not take the preposition 'of' or a double object in this sense.

Word family

  • suggestion
    nounA2
  • suggestive
    adjectiveB2
  • suggestible
    adjectiveC1
  • suggested
    adjectiveB2
  • unsuggestive
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Suggest', 'propose', 'recommend', and 'advise' all involve offering an idea for someone else to consider, but they differ in strength and register. 'Suggest' is the most neutral and common — you can suggest a restaurant, a plan, or a solution without implying strong personal endorsement. 'Propose' is more formal and often used in meetings, academic papers, or official settings: a committee proposes a new policy. 'Recommend' carries stronger personal approval — if a doctor recommends a treatment, they believe it is the best choice. 'Advise' implies authority or expertise: a lawyer advises a client, or a teacher advises a student. In everyday conversation, 'suggest' fits most situations: 'I suggest we leave now.' Use 'recommend' when you want to add weight: 'I highly recommend this book.'

propose ↗recommend ↗advise ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • strongly suggest
  • gently suggest
  • tentatively suggest
  • clearly suggest
  • seemingly suggest

Phrases

  • would suggest that
  • seems to suggest
  • might suggest
  • further suggest

Prepositions

  • suggest to (someone)
  • suggest for (a role/purpose)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'suggerere', meaning 'to carry under, to supply, to suggest'. The word is built from 'sub-' (from under) and 'gerere' (to carry, bring). In its earliest use in English around the 1500s, it meant 'to prompt someone to do something' or 'to put an idea into someone's mind'. Over time, the sense of indirect communication (hinting) and of mental association (evoking) developed alongside the core meaning of proposing a plan.