To suggest means to offer an idea or possibility for someone to consider, without insisting they accept it. When you suggest going to the park after school, you're proposing it as an option, not demanding everyone agree. A teacher might suggest a book you could read for extra credit, leaving the choice up to you.

Suggesting is gentler than telling or commanding. If your friend suggests you try a different strategy in a video game, they're offering advice you're free to take or ignore. Scientists suggest explanations for things they observe, presenting theories that fit the evidence they've found. A detective might suggest who committed a crime based on clues, even without complete proof.

The word also means to hint at something indirectly. Dark clouds suggest rain is coming. A mysterious footprint in the snow suggests someone passed by recently. When evidence suggests a conclusion, it points toward that answer without proving it absolutely.