# innuendo

/ˌɪnjuˈɛndoʊ/ (US) · /ɪnnjuːˈɛndəʊ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/innuendo
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

a statement or action that suggests something bad or embarrassing without saying it directly. You use this when someone wants to hint at a secret or a scandal without being obvious.

For teachers: an indirect or subtle suggestion of something unpleasant, offensive, or scandalous. Often used in legal or literary contexts to describe a statement that implies a fact without stating it explicitly.

## Examples

- The politician's speech was full of innuendo about his opponent's past.
- The witness's testimony was dismissed by the judge because it was nothing more than sexual innuendo with no evidence to support it.
- The author's use of innuendo allows the reader to infer the protagonist's true intentions without the narrator ever stating them outright, creating a sense of tension and mystery.

---

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.