implication
Americannoun
-
implications
plural
-
something implied or suggested as naturally to be inferred or understood.
to resent an implication of dishonesty.
-
the act of implying.
His implication of immediate changes surprised us.
-
the state of being implied.
to know only by implication.
-
Logic. the relation that holds between two propositions, or classes of propositions, in virtue of which one is logically deducible from the other.
-
the act of implicating or indicating that one or more persons may be involved, as in a crime.
The implication of his accomplices came only after hours of grueling questioning by the police.
-
the state of being implicated.
We recently heard of his implication in a conspiracy.
-
Usually implications. relationships of a close or intimate nature; involvements.
the religious implications of ancient astrology.
- Synonyms:
- connection
noun
-
the act of implicating or the state of being implicated
-
something that is implied; suggestion
the implication of your silence is that you're bored
-
logic
-
the operator that forms a sentence from two given sentences and corresponds to the English if … then …
-
a sentence so formed. Usually written p→q or p⊃q, where p,q are the component sentences, it is true except when p (the antecedent) is true and q (the consequent) is false
-
the relation between such sentences
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of implication
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English implicacio(u)n, from Latin implicātiōn-, stem of implicātiō “an interweaving,” equivalent to implicāt(us) “interwoven” ( see implicate) + -ion
Explanation
An implication is something that is suggested, or happens, indirectly. When you left the gate open and the dog escaped, you were guilty by implication. Implication has many different senses. Usually, when used in the plural, implications are effects or consequences that may happen in the future. You might ask, "What are the implications of our decision?" Implication is also the state of being implicated, or connected to something bad: "Are you surprised by their implication that you were involved in the crime?"
Vocabulary lists containing implication
Grade 9, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Raisin in the Sun
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The implication is always the same: If only young people behaved differently, the industry would be fine.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
Anne Applebaum wrote an article for the Atlantic, and the headline was: “Ukraine Is Not Losing. Russia Is Not Winning”—the implication being that Ukraine’s doing better than we thought.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
The implication was that I’d criticized the vice president for taking a day of paternity leave.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
"Future research will hopefully be able to confirm concepts developed in our study in human memory and show their implication in dementia."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
It struck me as a singular implication that you couldn’t be out of a counting-house, you know, and look about you; but I silently deferred to his experience.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
The implications may extend beyond distant repeating flare systems.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Hearn says the main change concerns compensation for Joshua because of the different tax implications of fighting in America.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
"The case carries implications far beyond the fate of a single ship, its cargo or its master," David Hammond, of Human Rights at Sea International, wrote in an analysis for Lloyd's List Intelligence.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
The findings may have implications well beyond erbium tritelluride.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
Only a small circle of CIA personnel had access to the message, but the information it carried had terrifying implications for the entire spy agency.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
