# take the hint

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/take-the-hint
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Concede to mounting evidence; wake up and smell the coffee.

## Examples

- He keeps calling, but she refuses to take the hint.
- I stopped replying to his messages, hoping he would finally take the hint and stop asking me out.
- Despite the increasingly cold reception from his colleagues, he failed to take the hint that his presence was no longer welcome at the weekly meetings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.