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.

---

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

---

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

Despite their 100% starts, the underlying numbers behind Arsenal and City's starts do not imply total dominance.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Assuming that Broadcom, like Nvidia, ships 80% to 85% of its order book, the numbers imply unconstrained AI demand of $145 billion next year and $270 billion the following year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

That sort of model would imply a $500 share price by the end of 2027, roughly double the current share price of $258.68.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

"While these are merely requests and do not imply that visitors will be forcibly asked to leave, we earnestly ask for your understanding of the intent behind these guidelines and your cooperation," its statement said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

To imply is to suggest, or to throw out a suggestion; to infer is to conclude, or to take in a suggestion.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

The transaction implies a total enterprise value of approximately $7.7 billion, comprised of an equity purchase price of approximately $4.6 billion and approximately $3.1 billion of debt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

"They've all made statements about the necessity of being careful of the potential for AI takeover. They've all talked about this. AI takeover implies human extinction," Coxon said.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

As a transparent marketing tactic, InfinityVision implies that there will be a spectacle worth watching.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

The analysts listed three key reasons for the raise, which implies an increase of 43% for the stock based on Monday’s closing price.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

That is a misnomer in that no such title existed, but the role he played was not so different from what the designation implies.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

P/B, versus multiples of 5.9X and 3.0X, respectively, implied by Mirae Asset Securities analyst Young-gun Kim’s target price.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

She issued a public apology, saying her choice of words had been a "terrible mistake" because they implied "that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true".

From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026

"The issue was not the living arrangement itself, but what it implied," British Comedy Classics said, external of the series.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

You implied earlier that Gorsuch has moved away from Bostock.

From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026

Fischer later implied that this was his favorite game of the match, and many grandmasters, such as Larry Evans, have indicated that the game was so beautifully executed that it became the match’s turning point.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

I suggested he sounded like a conspiracy theorist, implying the whole world was out to get him.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

The OpenAI token on Friday was trading at $837, implying an $837 billion valuation.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

In 2023, workers accused the company of disrupting union activities, including implying workers could be dismissed for participating in a union protest and locking emergency exits on the day workers planned to picket outside.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow was "semi-routine," while implying that the intelligence chief was in the Russian capital to discuss the Ukraine war.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Then she flounced over to the dog, kissed it with ecstasy and swept into the kitchen, implying that a dozen chefs awaited her orders there.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Related Words

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