hint
B1Neutral to informal. Common in spoken and written English across contexts. Slightly more frequent in conversational than formal prose.
Definition
Meaning
A slight or indirect indication or suggestion.
A very small amount or trace of something; a helpful piece of advice, especially in solving a puzzle or problem; a subtle implication or clue.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word primarily implies indirectness and subtlety. It often suggests the speaker/writer is being tactful or not wanting to state something directly. As a noun, it can refer to a clue (e.g., in a game) or a small amount ('a hint of lemon'). As a verb, it means to suggest indirectly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Spelling and usage are identical.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent and used in identical ways.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to hint at somethingto hint that + clauseto give/drop/offer a hinta hint of somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “take a hint (understand an indirect suggestion to do something)”
- “a hint of things to come”
- “drop a hint (give an indirect suggestion)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss indirect suggestions in negotiations or management ('He hinted at possible restructuring').
Academic
Used to describe subtle indications in data or arguments ('The results hint at a broader trend').
Everyday
Very common for giving or receiving indirect advice or clues in social situations and games.
Technical
Used in computing/programming for a piece of help text or a suggested action (e.g., a 'tooltip hint').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She hinted at a possible change of plan during the meeting.
- Are you hinting I should tidy up?
American English
- The report hints that profits may fall next quarter.
- He hinted broadly about wanting a promotion.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She gave me a hint for the crossword puzzle.
- Can you give me a hint? I don't know the answer.
- There was a hint of anger in his voice.
- He didn't say it directly, but he hinted that he was unhappy.
- The data hints at a correlation between the two variables.
- I've dropped several hints about my birthday, but I don't think he's noticed.
- Her memoir is laced with subtle hints about the political tensions of the era.
- The director's early films contain a hint of the stylistic boldness that would define her later work.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'HINT' as a 'HIddeN Tip'. It's a tip that is hidden or not said directly.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWING IS SEEING (e.g., 'I see what you're hinting at'); COMMUNICATION IS SENDING (e.g., 'drop a hint').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'совет' (advice/council) when 'hint' is subtle. A 'hint' is more like 'намёк' or 'подсказка'. 'Hint of lemon' translates as 'оттенок/намёк лимона', not 'совет лимона'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'hint' to mean a direct instruction or command. Incorrect: *'He hinted me to leave.' Correct: 'He hinted that I should leave' or 'He gave me a hint to leave.'
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'hint' used to mean a very small amount?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but slightly more common in informal or conversational contexts. In formal writing, 'suggest', 'indicate', or 'imply' might be preferred for the verb form.
They are often synonyms, especially in puzzle/game contexts. However, a 'clue' is often a more concrete piece of evidence (e.g., in a detective story), while a 'hint' is more often a deliberate but indirect suggestion given by someone to help or guide.
Yes. As a verb, it means 'to suggest something indirectly' (e.g., 'She hinted that she might be leaving').
It is an idiom meaning to understand and act on an indirect suggestion, often one asking you to stop doing something or to leave (e.g., 'He kept yawning, so I took the hint and said goodbye').