Innuendo | Meaning, Definition & Examples
An innuendo is an indirect remark that suggests something inappropriate, critical, or sexual, while appearing innocent on the surface. For example, saying, “That’s quite an interesting outfit,” might sound neutral but subtly hints at disapproval. We encounter innuendos in everyday conversations, literature, films, and even advertisements.
“Oh, I’m sure they were just ‘working late’ at the office.”
“She did her best with the presentation … considering her experience level.”
“Oh, they live in that part of town? How … interesting.”
Innuendos are often used to discuss taboo topics, critique ideas, or add humor. However, it is important to be aware that innuendos can sometimes be misinterpreted or come across as inappropriate, depending on the context and audience.
Innuendo meaning
Innuendo is a rhetorical device that conveys a hidden or subtle meaning beneath seemingly innocent words. Phrases like “if you know what I mean” or “if you catch my drift” are common ways to signal an innuendo.
You might have encountered it in everyday conversation, like when someone says “I hear Sam and Alice have been spending a lot of time together lately” while raising their eyebrows suggestively—technically an innocent observation, but clearly implying something more.
In essence, innuendos provide a socially acceptable way to express potentially controversial or inappropriate ideas. Their indirect nature encourages interpretation, drawing the audience into the exchange and allowing for layered communication.
Why do writers use innuendo?
Writers employ innuendo for several reasons.
- Engaging readers: It invites readers to actively participate by “reading between the lines,” making the text more interactive and memorable.
- Creating humor: Innuendo can generate comedy through the contrast between what is said and what is meant, allowing readers to feel clever for catching the hidden meaning.
- Character development: It can reveal a character’s true feelings through their use of or reaction to innuendo. Innuendos add depth and subtlety to storytelling, making interactions and dialogue more dynamic.
- Social commentary: Writers can use innuendo to criticize social norms or powerful figures without making explicit statements. It offers writers artistic freedom to address sensitive topics while circumventing social taboos or formal restrictions.
Innuendo examples
In the following excerpt from Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, the term “feminine offices” is deliberately vague, leaving much to the reader’s imagination. One could interpret this as a subtle sexual innuendo, especially if the phrase is considered alongside the surrounding context of “Charley’s laughter” and the noise described.
throw water over her friend, and perform other feminine offices for the promotion of her recovery, might have kept many people awake under more happy circumstances than those in which Oliver was placed. But he was sick and weary; and he soon fell sound
asleep.”
Many popular animated movies use innuendo to slip adult humor into their plot so that they are more enjoyable for adult viewers too. The joke typically operates on two levels: it is lighthearted enough for the movie’s younger audience while simultaneously offering a more suggestive undertone that resonates with adult viewers.
Related terms
Innuendo shares similarities with other rhetorical devices, but each has distinct characteristics and purpose:
- Double entendre: a phrase with two meanings, one of which is often risqué or provocative. Unlike double entendres, innuendos do not necessarily rely on wordplay. Instead, they depend on the listener’s interpretation of what is implied beneath the surface level.
- Euphemism: replaces a potentially offensive or harsh term with a milder one, unlike innuendo which creates additional meaning through suggestion. For example, “passed away” instead of “died” is a euphemism.
- Allusion: a subtle reference to a person, event, or idea that the audience is expected to recognize. Unlike innuendo, which hints at additional meaning, allusion points to something outside the immediate conversation. For example, calling someone “a Romeo” alludes to romantic behavior without explicitly stating it.
Frequently asked questions about innuendo
- What is a sexual innuendo?
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Sexual innuendo is when a phrase has two meanings, one of which alludes to something sexual in a subtle and playful manner. People use this kind of language humorously or flirtatiously because it allows them to hint at sexual ideas without making explicit statements.
- What is a synonym for innuendo?
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Some synonyms for innuendo are:
- Insinuation
- Implication
- Hint
- Imputation
- Suggestion
Use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find more synonyms for “innuendo.”
