Let's put vs Suggest

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Let's put

Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Suggest

Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Suggest
 Let's putSuggest
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //lɛts pʊt//🇺🇸 //lɛts pʊt//🇬🇧 /["/səˈdʒest/","/səˈdʒests/","/səˈdʒestɪd/","/səˈdʒestɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈdʒest//səɡˈdʒest/","/səˈdʒests//səɡˈdʒests/","/səˈdʒestɪd//səɡˈdʒestɪd/","/səˈdʒestɪŋ//səɡˈdʒestɪŋ/"]/
MeaningTo suggest or state something to be done.To show an idea or recommendation to someone
ExampleLet's put our differences aside for this meeting.I would like to suggest a new approach to the project.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 5,000 (fairly common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level-A2
Part of speechverb
Collocationsput together, put away, put forward, put into action, put on holdhighly, strongly, tentatively, seem reasonable to, be far-fetched to, seem far-fetched to, as, for, to, can I suggest…, I suggest…, I would suggest…, certainly, clearly, strongly, seem to, be meant to, highly, strongly, tentatively, seem reasonable to, be far-fetched to, seem far-fetched to, as, for, to, can I suggest…, I suggest…, I would suggest…
Antonyms-discourage, dissuade
Common mistakesUsed without specifying the object or event correctly., Confused with 'Let's put off', which means to delay something., Incorrectly using 'put' in a passive structure.'Suggesting to' someone instead of 'suggesting that' someone do something., Using 'suggest' with a gerund instead of a noun clause., Confusing 'suggest' with 'recommend'.
Usage notesUsed to propose an action or plan; common in both spoken and written English. Works well in informal and formal contexts.Common in suggestions and advice. Suitable in most contexts, from casual conversations to professional settings. Avoid using in very formal writing, opt for 'propose' instead.

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Let's put
Suggest

Frequently asked questions: Let's put vs Suggest

What's the difference between Let's put and Suggest?

Let's put: To suggest or state something to be done. Suggest: To show an idea or recommendation to someone

Which is more common: Let's put and Suggest?

Suggest is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Let's put: Let's put our differences aside for this meeting. Suggest: I would like to suggest a new approach to the project.

Can I use Let's put and Suggest interchangeably?

Not always. Let's put and Suggest are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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