imply

American  

[im-plahy] / ɪmˈplaɪ /

verb (used with object)

• implies,
  present (3rd person singular)
• implied,
  past participle,  past
• implying
  present participle

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.

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imply British  

/ 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

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Usage

See infer.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

• implying
  present
• implied
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• imply
  simple
• implies
  simple
• have implied
  perfect
• has implied
  perfect
• am implying
  progressive
• are implying
  progressive
• is implying
  progressive
• have been implying
  perfect progressive
• has been implying
  perfect progressive

Past

• implied
  simple
• had implied
  perfect
• was implying
  progressive
• were implying
  progressive
• had been implying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will imply
  simple
• will have implied
  perfect
• will be implying
  progressive
• will have been implying
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of imply

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

Explanation

Imply means to express, suggest, or show something without stating it directly: A friend’s gruff manner would imply that she’s in a foul mood. The verb imply comes from a Latin word meaning “enfold or entangle” but has come to mean “to hint at.” You might imply something that you don’t want to outright say if you’re feeling coy. If you don’t call someone back after she leaves eight messages, you imply that you don’t want to chat. When you make a subtle suggestion, you imply.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

imply implies implied implying

The high times, prosecutors seemed to imply, had been bankrolled by the Roebucks’ cash.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

Ideally they should come fresh from your garden, eaten with just enough dirt still clinging to them to imply virtue.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

Interest-rate futures now imply there is about an 85% chance that the central bank will raise interest rates by a quarter point next week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Andrew Franks, who the court heard opened the synagogue compound gates to Al-Shamie, was also given interested person status, but the coroner said this did not imply any "criticism or culpability" on his behalf.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Impatient with his generalities, I said, “You imply that this isn’t the right moment. Would you advise me to cancel my audience?”

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

It’s the kind of Hollywood support that implies an Oscar nomination is still on the table, even if the possibility of a win seems more difficult now.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

Dan Bird, from cyber security firm Horizon3 says the pop up message the criminals sent implies that their access has gone beyond the Snowflake database.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

This implies that the cool gas component might already exist as a reservoir surrounding the galaxy uniformly on all sides.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

However, the new target implies 34% upside relative to Tuesday’s midday level of $70.66.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

Equally, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle implies that particles behave in some respects like waves: they do not have a definite position but are “smeared out” with a certain probability distribution.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

That implied that the effect of the subsidy terminations had slowed, in the view of market analysts at Cox Automotive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

In North Carolina, our curiosity would have to be implied.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

While there is no reliable consensus feed given limited coverage, Jefferies analysts think earnings “landed more than 10% below the low end of the range implied by the prospectus.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

This argument would essentially function as a variation on the so-called dormant commerce clause by inferring implied constitutional constraints on states’ sovereign powers.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026

A few more implied that she had accused Kate and Leah of fraud.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Goldman reiterates its 450,000-vehicle sales target for Xiaomi this year, implying about 158,000 deliveries in 4Q.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Van Houten said his office did not bring charges at the time because he had only seen a statement from Doe implying the incident was consensual and that she had not been drugged.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Blackledge initiated coverage on SpaceX’s stock with a buy rating and a $200 price target, implying room for a 37% increase compared to Monday’s closing price.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

But UK defence minister Wes Streeting said the woman only had a "partial picture", implying police were aware of the situation before they were alerted.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

“When you say ‘we,’” I say, “are you implying that—” “That we would be going with you?” she says.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Related Words

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