allude

allude — verb

  • alludepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • alludes3rd person singular
  • alluding-ing form
  • alludedpast simple

1. to hint at a person, event, or idea instead of naming it openly

1.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

to hint at a person, event, or idea instead of naming it openly

Example

Without naming the company, Yasmin alluded to the budget cuts.

allude to + issue without naming it

The joke on the poster alluded to an old TV ad.

Common collocations
  • allude to the past
  • allude to a scandal
  • allude to a problem
  • allude to a misunderstanding
Synonyms
  • hint at

    close in meaning, but often more conversational

  • refer to

    more neutral and usually less indirect

  • mention

    more direct; it does not suggest leaving something unsaid

  • imply

    broader; can suggest an idea without making a specific reference

Antonyms
  • state

    to say something clearly and directly

Grammar Patterns

allude to + noun phrase

allude to + the fact that-clause

Usage Note

Usually followed by 'to' before the person or thing being hinted at. If you say the subject plainly, direct verbs such as mention or name are more natural.

Common Mistakes

The report alluded the scandal directly.
The report alluded to the scandal without naming it.
'Allude' is normally followed by 'to'; it does not take the topic as a direct object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Allude to is more indirect than mention or refer to. If you mention something, you simply say it; if you refer to it, you point to it, often a little more formally. When you allude to something, you expect the listener or reader to make the connection without hearing the full statement. Hint at is close, but it often suggests trying to make someone guess a plan, feeling, or hidden meaning in conversation. Imply is broader: words, actions, or even facts can imply something without anyone deliberately referring to it. Use allude to when a speaker, writer, film, or poem touches on a subject lightly or indirectly, often for subtlety, politeness, or style.

mention ↗refer to ↗hint atimply ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the past
  • a scandal
  • a problem

Adverbs

  • briefly allude to
  • repeatedly allude to

Phrases

  • allude to the fact that
  • allude to something in passing

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Allude came into English through French from Latin alludere. The older Latin verb had the idea of playing toward something, and that developed into the modern sense of touching on a subject lightly rather than naming it openly.

First known use

1531

1531, in the meaning defined above