How to pronounce insinuate
Say it like in-SIN-yoo-ayt. Insinuate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce insinuate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- SIN
- yoo
- ayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Insinuate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SINSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- yooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- aytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of insinuate
American and British speakers say insinuate in essentially the same way: /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ in the US and /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-SIN-yoo-ayt.
What does insinuate mean?
- To hint; to suggest tacitly (usually something bad) while avoiding a direct statement.“She insinuated that her friends had betrayed her.”
- To creep, wind, or flow into; to enter gently, slowly, or imperceptibly, as into crevices.
- To ingratiate; to obtain access to or introduce something by subtle, cunning or artful means.
Where does insinuate come from?
First attested in 1529; Borrowed from Latin īnsinuātus, perfect passive participle of īnsinuō (“to push in, creep in, steal in”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from in- (“in”) + sinus (“a winding, bend
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying insinuate
How do you pronounce insinuate?
Say in-SIN-yoo-ayt. The American pronunciation is /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/. In British English it is /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in insinuate?
Insinuate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIN). Broken into parts: in · SIN · yoo · ayt.
Do Americans and Brits say insinuate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ and the British form is /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.