verbally suggested

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "verbally suggested" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to something that was proposed or recommended through spoken communication rather than in writing. Example: "During the meeting, she verbally suggested a new approach to the project that the team found intriguing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Sallie Mae's lawyers verbally suggested working out a settlement, but it felt like a trap: the judge said that, if I missed a single payment, my balance would revert back to $77,000 and none of the payments I would've made in the interim would be counted against that balance.

The Guardian - Opinion

For example, nausea reduction in women could only be achieved when the placebo intervention was "enhanced" by conditioning, while men responded primarily to verbally suggested improvement.

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He need only verbally suggest someone do something -- shoot themselves, leave their child on the sidewalk, toss hot coffee in their own face -- and they will do it without hesitation.

Huffington Post

All of our staff members promise to make recurrent, familiar eye contact with you, non-verbally suggesting that you know each other from somewhere and that you're being rude by failing to remember where.

The New Yorker

But as well as verbally abusing Ellement, Fulton suggested in a police interview that the threesome had been a joke.

The Guardian

Although the actress encouraged the actor verbally, her nonverbal behavior suggested the opposite (e.g., cramping, pushing the actor away during initial penetration).

Archives of Sexual Behavior

A first possibility is that a verb activates cerebral motor areas since it brings about a motor image of the verbally presented action — suggesting that activation of the motor system takes place at the post-lexical level.

Plosone

She suggested that "both were verbally assaulting each other".

Huffington Post

Penguins Coach Herb Brooks was suspended by the league yesterday for an additional game for shoving and verbally attacking Colorado Avalanche announcer John Kelly, who suggested that a Pittsburgh player, Matthew Barnaby, embellishes injuries.

The New York Times - Sports

Slauson and Brandon Moore eased Baxter's transition by assuming more calls at the line of scrimmage and conveying information verbally instead of by hand signals, things Moore suggested they will probably do again against the Raiders.

The New York Times - Sports

Chelsea initially suggested Spanish midfielder Mata had also been verbally abused by Clattenburg, before deciding there was insufficient evidence to support these claims.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "verbally suggested" when it's crucial to distinguish spoken suggestions from written ones. For instance, in legal or formal settings, clarify if a proposal was made orally versus in a documented form.

Common error

Avoid using "verbally suggested" in casual conversations or informal writing where the method of communication is already understood. Simpler terms like "mentioned" or "said" are often more appropriate and natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "verbally suggested" functions as a verb phrase where "verbally" modifies "suggested". It specifies the manner in which a suggestion was made. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's grammatically correct, emphasizing the spoken nature of the suggestion.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "verbally suggested" is grammatically sound and serves to highlight that a suggestion was communicated orally. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and usable phrase in written English. Its usage is relatively rare, predominantly appearing in news and scientific contexts where the mode of communication is relevant. When writing, it's best to reserve this phrase for situations where the spoken nature of the suggestion needs explicit emphasis to avoid redundancy in more casual settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

suggested orally

A direct synonym using "orally" to specify the method of communication.

orally proposed

This alternative replaces "suggested" with "proposed" and "verbally" with "orally", maintaining a similar level of formality while focusing on the method of communication.

put forward verbally

This alternative replaces "suggested" with "put forward", maintaining formality while specifying verbal communication.

indicated verbally

This alternative replaces "suggested" with "indicated", focusing on how the suggestion was conveyed rather than its content.

communicated verbally

This focuses on the communication aspect of the suggestion, emphasizing that it was done through spoken language.

stated verbally

This alternative emphasizes the act of making a statement aloud, replacing "suggested" with "stated". It shifts the focus from suggestion to declaration.

expressed verbally

This phrase highlights the expression of an idea through speech, replacing "suggested" with "expressed".

voiced the idea

This option emphasizes the act of giving a voice to a suggestion or idea, highlighting the audible aspect.

offered verbally

This option uses "offered" instead of "suggested", focusing on the act of providing a suggestion through speech.

mentioned aloud

This option uses "mentioned" to convey a less formal suggestion, highlighting the spoken nature of the communication.

FAQs

How can I use "verbally suggested" in a sentence?

You can use "verbally suggested" to emphasize that a suggestion was made through spoken words rather than in writing. For example, "The manager verbally suggested a new strategy during the meeting."

What are some alternatives to "verbally suggested"?

Alternatives include "suggested orally", "mentioned aloud", or "stated verbally" depending on the context. These options maintain the emphasis on spoken communication.

When is it appropriate to use "verbally suggested" instead of just "suggested"?

Use "verbally suggested" when it's necessary to clarify that the suggestion was made orally, especially in situations where written documentation might also be expected or available.

What's the difference between "verbally suggested" and "implied"?

"Verbally suggested" means a suggestion was explicitly made through spoken words. "Implied" means a suggestion was communicated indirectly, without being explicitly stated.