What does suggest mean?
Suggest means to put forward an idea, possibility, or recommendation for someone else to consider. In everyday use, it often introduces a useful course of action: a person may suggest a different route, a shorter method, or a practical solution. In more analytical contexts, suggest means to indicate a likely conclusion without claiming certainty, as when evidence suggests a cause or research suggests a trend. The word can also be followed by a clause beginning with “that,” or by a noun such as “an alternative,” “a solution,” or “changes.” Its moderate force is important: suggesting is not the same as demanding or insisting, although a suggestion can still be strong and persuasive. Because it commonly conveys inference or possibility rather than absolute certainty, suggest is especially useful in careful discussion. It is equally natural in British and American English and appears in both formal writing and conversation.
verbTo put forward an idea, possibility, or recommendation for consideration. It can also mean to imply or indicate that something is the case.
- To put forward an idea, possibility, or recommendation for consideration.
- To imply or indicate that something is the case, especially as a conclusion drawn from evidence.
- To recommend a course of action or propose that someone do something.
"The quiet beach suggested a peaceful alternative to the crowded city."
"She suggested taking the train instead of driving through the storm."
"The unusual pattern in the data suggests that the hypothesis needs further testing."
The word’s Latin ancestor literally means to bring something together or heap it up—an apt image for an idea being brought to mind.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suggest come from?
The English word comes from Latin suggerere, used in the sense of bringing something before the mind or putting forward an idea. Latin suggerere was formed from sub- (“under”) and gerere (“carry”), originally conveying the idea of heaping up or bringing together; English borrowed the word through French in the early 17th century. Gesture, digest, ingest, and congest preserve the same ancient root gerere, “to carry.”
Related word forms
How suggest is actually used
Suggest often has a tentative or non-authoritative quality: it can indicate that something is possible or advisable without insisting on it. It is widely used in formal, informal, and professional contexts in both British and American English.
Easily confused with suggest
Suggest can put an idea forward for consideration or indicate a possibility, whereas conjecture usually means to form a tentative opinion without firm evidence.