implicate
Americanverb (used with object)
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implicates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
implicated,
past participle, past
-
implicating
present participle
-
to show to be also involved, usually in an incriminating manner.
to be implicated in a crime.
-
to imply as a necessary circumstance, or as something to be inferred or understood.
-
to connect or relate to intimately; affect as a consequence.
The malfunctioning of one part of the nervous system implicates another part.
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Archaic. to fold or twist together; intertwine; interlace.
verb
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to show to be involved, esp in a crime
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to involve as a necessary inference; imply
his protest implicated censure by the authorities
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to affect intimately
this news implicates my decision
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rare to intertwine or entangle
Synonym Usage
See involve.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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implicatesimple
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implicatessimple
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have implicatedperfect
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has implicatedperfect
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am implicatingprogressive
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are implicatingprogressive
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is implicatingprogressive
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have been implicatingperfect progressive
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has been implicatingperfect progressive
Past
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implicatedsimple
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had implicatedperfect
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was implicatingprogressive
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were implicatingprogressive
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had been implicatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of implicate
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin implicātus, past participle of implicāre “to interweave,” equivalent to im- im- 1 + plicā(re) “to fold” + -ātus -ate 1; see ply 2
Explanation
The verb implicate means "to connect or involve in something." For example, your cousins might implicate you in the planning of a big party for your grandparents. Implicate comes from the Latin word implicare, meaning "to entwine, involve." When you implicate someone, you bring him or her into a group or to pitch in on a project. Implicate can have criminal connotations when it means "to connect in an incriminating manner," like when detectives figure out who drove the getaway car in the bank robbery — that person will be implicated for his or her role in the crime.
Vocabulary lists containing implicate
Just Mercy
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Monster
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Wasn't Me: The Lingo of Laying Blame
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Earlier this month, a leaked Spanish police report seemed to implicate Moroccan police in the incident.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal questioned why Davis would implicate himself in a murder if the account was a fabrication.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
He claimed the department sought to make an example of him because he refused to implicate his superiors in wrongdoing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Colorado argued that its statute does not meaningfully implicate the First Amendment because it regulates conduct and only incidentally burdens speech.
From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2026
He's sure that Karl understands, sure that Karl knows that Helmuth has taken the blame, sure Karl understands not to say anything that will implicate himself more during his interrogation.
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
But this division also implicates the nongladiatorial Roman citizens of all social strata.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
Nothing about Smith’s conduct implicates either the DOJ policy or the 60-day rule.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2024
Crucially, it further implicates the outstanding suspects and opens up evidential opportunities.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2024
China rejected the accusation, and experts say that Palau has not presented any evidence that implicates Beijing.
From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2024
Booth also has left behind clues—among them a business card bearing the name J. Harrison Surratt and a letter from Samuel Arnold, who had been part of the kidnapping plot, that implicates Michael O’Laughlen.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
The departures of these women isn’t because none of the administration’s men have been implicated in misconduct or corrupt dealings.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
UW-Madison said in a statement after the incident that its Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards would “investigate any students implicated in the incident according to its nonacademic misconduct policy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
"It would have been shocking to me," said Rubio, who has not been implicated in any wrongdoing.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
However, Juve, AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina were all implicated in influencing referees.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
They both understand that the deal they get depends on their convincing you that other people are implicated.
From "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers
Walters’ supporters further argue that Oxford’s statements implicating Walters—as well as Travis’ testimony against him—were tainted, the result of the men being coerced by police and angling for lighter sentences.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
In his closing argument, defense attorney Brian Steel painted Hester, Jones and Grant as unreliable “snitches, cooperators, rats” seeking to secure a lighter sentence by implicating Banks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
Whether that’s a criminal act may be difficult to prove in court, but why would the justice want to risk implicating himself in the future?
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026
Sanft said there was no evidence implicating Davis in Shakur's murder other than his own statements.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Though White had gathered circumstantial evidence implicating Hale in the murder of Roan, there were still huge holes in the case.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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