Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for imply

imply

[im-plahy]

verb (used with object)

implied, implying 
  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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Usage

See infer.
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • reimply verb (used with object)
  • superimply verb (used with object)
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of imply1

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of imply1

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

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.

Spending the next 10 years lamenting Madigan’s potential snub would be nothing more than reductive, implying that her work is only worthy if it’s awarded by stuffy voters who maintain little respect for horror, anyway.

Read more on Salon

Slower employment gains signal caution among businesses, while robust spending implies consumers are still powering the economy.

Read more on MarketWatch

Not to imply there’s anything wrong with a full menu of ingredients.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

If that 2% allocation to those bonds were to be replaced by gold, the overall allocation would rise to 4.6%, implying a near doubling of gold prices factoring in other financial assets.

Read more on MarketWatch

When Sam Quinones wraps up his book by telling us to “work to discover your own perfect tuba,” I take him to imply, “whatever it may be.”

Advertisement

Related Words

Discover More

When To Use

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.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


impluviumimpolder