imply

[ im-plahy ]

verb (used with object)

, im·plied, im·ply·ing.

1. to indicate or suggest without being explicitly stated:

   His words implied a lack of faith.

2. (of words) to signify or mean.
3. to involve as a necessary circumstance:

   Speech implies a speaker.

   Synonyms: demand, require

4. Obsolete. to enfold.

imply

/ ɪmˈplaɪ /

verb

1. to express or indicate by a hint; suggest

   what are you implying by that remark?

2. to suggest or involve as a necessary consequence
3. logic to enable (a conclusion) to be inferred
4. obsolete.
   to entangle or enfold

Usage Note

See infer.

Usage

See infer

Other Words From

• reim·ply verb (used with object) reimplied reimplying
• super·im·ply verb (used with object) superimplied superimplying

Word History and Origins

Origin of imply¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English implien, emplien, from Middle French emplier, from Latin implicāre; implicate

Word History and Origins

Origin of imply¹

C14: from Old French emplier, from Latin implicāre to involve; see implicate

Example Sentences

The U.S. indictment implied that enormous sums had been offered to state governments controlled by parties other than the B.J.P.

From New York Times

Since at least the early 20th century, the rhetoric behind the afforestation push in Israel/Palestine has implied that no existing human settlements or agriculture his been displaced or disrupted.

From Salon

But on 8 July 2020, she received an email from Cardiff University saying she had failed one of her assessments and implying that she could not go on to her third year.

From BBC

"The study implies that key genes involved in stem cell formation might have originated far earlier than the stem cells themselves, perhaps helping pave the way for the multicellular life we see today."

From Science Daily

The FA said this constituted an "aggravated breach... as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin".

From BBC

Related Words

• entail
• hint
• involve
• mention
• signify
• suggest

Imply vs. Infer

What's the difference between imply and infer?

To imply is to indicate or suggest something without actually stating it. Infer most commonly means to guess or use reasoning to come to a conclusion based on what has been suggested.

Imply and infer can be confused because they’re often used at opposite ends of the same situation. When someone implies something (suggests it without saying it explicitly), you have to infer their meaning (conclude what it is based on the hints that have been given).

For example, you might infer that your friend wants cake for their birthday because they keep talking about how much they like cake and reminding you that their birthday is coming up. Your friend didn’t actually ask for cake, but they implied that they want it by giving you hints. You used these hints to infer that they want cake.

Of course, there are situations in which you might infer something when nothing was implied or nothing was intended to be implied.

Probably due to the association between the two words, infer is sometimes used to mean the same thing as imply—to hint or suggest. Even though this can be confusing, the meaning of infer can usually be easily inferred from the context in which it’s used.

Here’s an example of imply and infer used correctly in a sentence.

Example: Even though he only implied that he may be in trouble, we correctly inferred that he was.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between imply and infer.

Quiz yourself on imply vs. infer!

Should imply or infer be used in the following sentence?

I _____ from your annoyed tone that you weren’t happy with your birthday cake.