To suggest means to put forward an idea or plan for someone to consider; to indicate that something is likely or possible; or to imply something without stating it directly.
What Does Suggest Mean?
Suggest comes from the Latin suggerere, meaning "to bring up from below" or "to supply", formed from sub- (under, up from below) and gerere (to carry). It entered English in the 16th century and has kept its core sense of bringing an idea forward for consideration.
In everyday English, suggest is the standard polite word for making a proposal or recommendation without imposing. It sits between mention (neutral) and recommend (stronger endorsement). When the subject is evidence or data rather than a person, suggest means "to indicate" or "to point towards": The results suggest a link between the two factors.
A third, more literary use is "to bring to mind" or "to evoke": The melody suggests a distant memory. All three senses are worth learning, as each appears regularly in academic, professional, and everyday English.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| I suggest you use flashcards to remember new vocabulary. | A2 — suggest + that-clause (that omitted), everyday advice |
| Can you suggest a good café near the station? | B1 — suggest + noun, polite request for a recommendation |
| She suggested taking a short break to clear our heads. | B1 — suggest + gerund, informal spoken suggestion |
| The survey results suggest that many students struggle with time management. | B2 — evidence suggest + that-clause, academic hedging |
| Nothing in his tone suggested that he was uncomfortable with the arrangement, yet his colleagues remained sceptical. | C1 — suggest meaning "imply", complex clause structure |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| strongly suggest | The evidence strongly suggests foul play. |
| suggest an idea | Would you like to suggest an idea for the next lesson? |
| suggest a solution | Can anyone suggest a solution to this problem? |
| suggest an alternative | If you dislike that plan, please suggest an alternative. |
| suggest a course of action | The report suggests a clear course of action for managers. |
| research / data suggests | Recent data suggests the method is highly effective. |
| suggest meeting | He suggested meeting at the library after school. |
| may I suggest | May I suggest arriving ten minutes early? |
| as the name suggests | As the name suggests, LexFizz combines words and games. |
| suggest otherwise | All the available evidence suggests otherwise. |
Usage Notes
Grammar Patterns for Suggest
Suggest is followed by three main structures. Choose the one that fits your context:
- suggest + gerund: I suggest leaving early. (most natural in spoken British English)
- suggest + that-clause (subjunctive): I suggest that she apply for the role. (formal; the verb after that stays in base form)
- suggest + noun / noun phrase: Can you suggest a good book? (requesting an idea)
Note that suggest is never followed directly by a to-infinitive with an object pronoun: I suggest you to go is incorrect. Say I suggest you go or I suggest going.
In formal and academic writing, suggest often appears in the passive: It has been suggested that further research is needed. This is a standard hedging device at B2–C1 level.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I suggest you to study harder before the exam.
I suggest you study harder before the exam. (no "to" after suggest + pronoun)
She suggested to take a different route.
She suggested taking a different route. (suggest + gerund, not to-infinitive)
The data is suggesting a positive trend.
The data suggests a positive trend. (no continuous form with this sense of suggest)