suggestive
/səˈdʒestɪv/ (bre, ipa) · [sədʒˈɛstɪv] /səˈdʒestɪv/ (ame, ipa) · [sədʒˈɛstɪv] /səg-ˈje-stiv How to pronounce suggestive (audio) sə-ˈje-/ (ame, mw)
suggestive — adjective
- suggestivepositive
- more suggestivecomparative
- most suggestivesuperlative
1. Used to describe remarks, images, clothing, or behaviour that are clearly intend
Used to describe remarks, images, clothing, or behaviour that are clearly intended to give a sexual idea or impression, often without stating it directly.
Otis told a joke that was so suggestive his boss asked him to apologise.
attributive and predicative use in one example
The TV channel refused to air the music video, calling it too suggestive for children.
too + suggestive + for + noun phrase
Naoko felt uncomfortable when a colleague made a suggestive remark about her outfit.
The magazine's front cover featured a highly suggestive image of a couple embracing.
Mathieu's friends teased him for wearing such a suggestive T-shirt to a family dinner.
- provocative
stronger sense of deliberate intent to excite; can also apply to ideas or fashion outside sexual contexts
- risqué
from French, implies boldness that pushes the limits of what is considered proper
- racy
suggests lively, energetic sexual undertone, often in entertainment or writing
常見錯誤
2. Used to say that one thing brings another thing to mind or hints at its presence
Used to say that one thing brings another thing to mind or hints at its presence, through a shared quality, a visible sign, or a noticeable association.
Yara found the old photograph suggestive of a happier time before the war.
pattern: suggestive of + noun phrase (abstract concept)
The painting's soft colours are strongly suggestive of a summer evening in the countryside.
collocation: strongly suggestive of
The patient's symptoms are suggestive of a mild allergic reaction rather than a virus.
Ari's writing style is suggestive of the authors he admired as a teenager.
The faint smell of smoke in the hallway was suggestive of a fire somewhere inside.
- evocative
stronger emotional quality; something that powerfully stirs memories or feelings
- reminiscent
specifically about being reminded of the past; slightly more personal
- indicative
more factual and evidence-based; common in formal reports and data analysis
文法句型
be + suggestive + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Most commonly appears in the pattern 'be + suggestive of + noun phrase', where the subject is a piece of evidence, a sign, or a sensory experience. The meaning is close to 'indicating' or 'pointing to'. This sense is noticeably more formal than sense 1 and is frequent in medical, academic, and analytical writing.