What are the differences between 'offer', 'propose', and 'suggest'?
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What are the differences between offer, propose, and suggest?
differences synonyms
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
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up vote
8
down vote
favorite
What are the differences between offer, propose, and suggest?
differences synonyms
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
What did your own dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines leave unclear0?
– Robbie Goodwin
Dec 4 at 20:36
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
What are the differences between offer, propose, and suggest?
differences synonyms
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
What are the differences between offer, propose, and suggest?
differences synonyms
differences synonyms
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
edited Jan 4 '12 at 6:42
user11550
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
asked Mar 1 '11 at 21:25
user5616
117226
117226
What did your own dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines leave unclear0?
– Robbie Goodwin
Dec 4 at 20:36
add a comment |
What did your own dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines leave unclear0?
– Robbie Goodwin
Dec 4 at 20:36
What did your own dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines leave unclear0?
– Robbie Goodwin
Dec 4 at 20:36
What did your own dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines leave unclear0?
– Robbie Goodwin
Dec 4 at 20:36
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
The differences are of formality, weight, and exchange.
As Aaron's answer illustrates, offer has an element of exchange or cost implied. For example, the phrase "make an offer" when negotiating the price of something. An offer is from some party to another party, whether you're offering your hand (to balance somebody), your house (to host a party), or a discount (on the sale of an item).
Suggest and propose differ in their level of formality and weight. For example, food often comes with a "Serving Suggestion" (we think about this much would be a good portion) — using propose here would seem overly formal.
Suggest is also used to distinguish between a recommendation and an order. "I suggest you do this" has a different tone to "Do this." Sometimes an intensifier is used to convey that what is formally only a suggestion is actually a command "I strongly suggest you [x]..."
Propose is the most formal. You propose to your girlfriend that the pair of you get married; it's unlikely that you would suggest the same thing. The best working definition of propose I can think of is "to make a formal submission for appraisal." This is why researches write proposals for research funding and not suggestions.
Does that help?
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
add a comment |
up vote
5
down vote
Suggest an idea to grab something
sweet
Propose we go eat ice cream
Offer to pay for the ice cream
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
1
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
1
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
The differences are of formality, weight, and exchange.
As Aaron's answer illustrates, offer has an element of exchange or cost implied. For example, the phrase "make an offer" when negotiating the price of something. An offer is from some party to another party, whether you're offering your hand (to balance somebody), your house (to host a party), or a discount (on the sale of an item).
Suggest and propose differ in their level of formality and weight. For example, food often comes with a "Serving Suggestion" (we think about this much would be a good portion) — using propose here would seem overly formal.
Suggest is also used to distinguish between a recommendation and an order. "I suggest you do this" has a different tone to "Do this." Sometimes an intensifier is used to convey that what is formally only a suggestion is actually a command "I strongly suggest you [x]..."
Propose is the most formal. You propose to your girlfriend that the pair of you get married; it's unlikely that you would suggest the same thing. The best working definition of propose I can think of is "to make a formal submission for appraisal." This is why researches write proposals for research funding and not suggestions.
Does that help?
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
The differences are of formality, weight, and exchange.
As Aaron's answer illustrates, offer has an element of exchange or cost implied. For example, the phrase "make an offer" when negotiating the price of something. An offer is from some party to another party, whether you're offering your hand (to balance somebody), your house (to host a party), or a discount (on the sale of an item).
Suggest and propose differ in their level of formality and weight. For example, food often comes with a "Serving Suggestion" (we think about this much would be a good portion) — using propose here would seem overly formal.
Suggest is also used to distinguish between a recommendation and an order. "I suggest you do this" has a different tone to "Do this." Sometimes an intensifier is used to convey that what is formally only a suggestion is actually a command "I strongly suggest you [x]..."
Propose is the most formal. You propose to your girlfriend that the pair of you get married; it's unlikely that you would suggest the same thing. The best working definition of propose I can think of is "to make a formal submission for appraisal." This is why researches write proposals for research funding and not suggestions.
Does that help?
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
add a comment |
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
The differences are of formality, weight, and exchange.
As Aaron's answer illustrates, offer has an element of exchange or cost implied. For example, the phrase "make an offer" when negotiating the price of something. An offer is from some party to another party, whether you're offering your hand (to balance somebody), your house (to host a party), or a discount (on the sale of an item).
Suggest and propose differ in their level of formality and weight. For example, food often comes with a "Serving Suggestion" (we think about this much would be a good portion) — using propose here would seem overly formal.
Suggest is also used to distinguish between a recommendation and an order. "I suggest you do this" has a different tone to "Do this." Sometimes an intensifier is used to convey that what is formally only a suggestion is actually a command "I strongly suggest you [x]..."
Propose is the most formal. You propose to your girlfriend that the pair of you get married; it's unlikely that you would suggest the same thing. The best working definition of propose I can think of is "to make a formal submission for appraisal." This is why researches write proposals for research funding and not suggestions.
Does that help?
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
The differences are of formality, weight, and exchange.
As Aaron's answer illustrates, offer has an element of exchange or cost implied. For example, the phrase "make an offer" when negotiating the price of something. An offer is from some party to another party, whether you're offering your hand (to balance somebody), your house (to host a party), or a discount (on the sale of an item).
Suggest and propose differ in their level of formality and weight. For example, food often comes with a "Serving Suggestion" (we think about this much would be a good portion) — using propose here would seem overly formal.
Suggest is also used to distinguish between a recommendation and an order. "I suggest you do this" has a different tone to "Do this." Sometimes an intensifier is used to convey that what is formally only a suggestion is actually a command "I strongly suggest you [x]..."
Propose is the most formal. You propose to your girlfriend that the pair of you get married; it's unlikely that you would suggest the same thing. The best working definition of propose I can think of is "to make a formal submission for appraisal." This is why researches write proposals for research funding and not suggestions.
Does that help?
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
edited Dec 4 at 18:48
Færd
2,96531744
2,96531744
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
answered Sep 19 '11 at 4:11
andrewdotnich
721514
721514
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
5
down vote
Suggest an idea to grab something
sweet
Propose we go eat ice cream
Offer to pay for the ice cream
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
1
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
1
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
add a comment |
up vote
5
down vote
Suggest an idea to grab something
sweet
Propose we go eat ice cream
Offer to pay for the ice cream
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
1
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
1
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
add a comment |
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
Suggest an idea to grab something
sweet
Propose we go eat ice cream
Offer to pay for the ice cream
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
Suggest an idea to grab something
sweet
Propose we go eat ice cream
Offer to pay for the ice cream
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
answered Mar 1 '11 at 21:30
Aaron McIver
371211
371211
1
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
1
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
add a comment |
1
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
1
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
1
1
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
Very elegant :)
– chaos
Mar 1 '11 at 21:37
1
1
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
Let me offer this nitpick: I propose that it's possible for someone to suggest we go eat ice cream.
– Robusto
Apr 4 '11 at 19:47
add a comment |
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What did your own dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines leave unclear0?
– Robbie Goodwin
Dec 4 at 20:36