English Reference
adjective

suggestive

adj.
US /səˈdʒɛstɪv/ UK /sədʒˈɛstɪv/ sug·ges·tive

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Academic

    making you think of a particular thing or idea without saying it directly.

    tending to suggest or evoke a particular idea, memory, or association through indirect means.

    Simple

    The dark clouds were suggestive of a coming storm.

    In context

    The archaeological findings were highly suggestive of a complex social hierarchy that predated the arrival of the colonial powers.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

    relating to the power of suggestion, especially in hypnosis.

    pertaining to or stimulating the process of psychological suggestion, particularly in a clinical or hypnotic context.

    Simple

    The therapist used suggestive techniques to help the patient relax.

    In context

    The study examined how suggestive questioning could inadvertently alter the witness's recollection of the event during the interview process.

Abandoned food could still be seen on the tables as evening drew in, suggestive of the haste in which people left the restaurant amid the incident.

The Guardian· 10 Sept 2026

Thiel has not publicly advocated for them, but Marino and others have said that their timing was suggestive.

The Guardian· 3 Sept 2026

From suggest + -ive.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated