implication

American  

[im-pli-kay-shuhn] / ˌɪm plɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• implications
  plural

1. something implied or suggested as naturally to be inferred or understood.

   to resent an implication of dishonesty.

2. the act of implying.

   His implication of immediate changes surprised us.

3. the state of being implied.

   to know only by implication.

4. Logic. the relation that holds between two propositions, or classes of propositions, in virtue of which one is logically deducible from the other.

5. 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.

6. the state of being implicated.

   We recently heard of his implication in a conspiracy.

7. Usually implications. relationships of a close or intimate nature; involvements.

   the religious implications of ancient astrology.

   Synonyms:

   connection

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implication British  

/ ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of implicating or the state of being implicated

2. something that is implied; suggestion

   the implication of your silence is that you're bored

3. logic

   1. the operator that forms a sentence from two given sentences and corresponds to the English if … then …

   2. 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

   3. the relation between such sentences

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonimplication
  noun
• implicational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• implications
  plural

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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

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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?"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

implication implications

Bondi’s memo also threw shade by implication at the use of human translators, while boosting A.I.:

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

The implication being that some companies are attributing layoffs to better tech when it is really just cost-cutting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates-based airline said it "categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The implication is that the same tide that lifts our portfolios’ boats lifts those of the richest Americans as well.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

Regina yelled at Bobby, with the not-so-subtle implication that if he spent just a fraction of the time on his studies that he devoted to chess, he’d be a stellar student.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Whether Asia’s resilience holds will have global implications.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The findings could also have practical implications for brain-computer interfaces, which use signals recorded from the brain to communicate with external devices.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

“Gubernatorial races in other states, notably Georgia and Ohio, will also have important implications for data-center development, and state legislatures are likely to remain active regardless of election outcomes,” the Evercore analysts wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Gold futures slipped in rangebound trade as the market awaits Wednesday’s U.S. consumer price inflation data and its implications for Fed interest-rate policy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

As a former foreign minister now serving as secretary of state, Jefferson required no instruction on the international implications of Americas debtor status.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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Related Words

• conclusion
• connotation
• indication
• meaning
• overtone
• ramification
• significance

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