implement
Americannoun
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implements
plural
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any article used in some activity, especially an instrument, tool, or utensil.
agricultural implements.
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an article of equipment, as household furniture, clothing, ecclesiastical vestments, or the like.
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a means; agent.
human beings as an implement of divine plan.
verb (used with object)
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implements,
present (3rd person singular)
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implemented,
past participle, past
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implementing
present participle
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to fulfill; perform; carry out.
Once in office, he failed to implement his campaign promises.
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to put into effect according to or by means of a definite plan or procedure.
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Computers. to realize or instantiate (an element in a program), often under certain conditions as specified by the software involved.
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to fill out or supplement.
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to provide with implements.
noun
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a piece of equipment; tool or utensil
gardening implements
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something used to achieve a purpose; agent
verb
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to carry out; put into action; perform
to implement a plan
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archaic to complete, satisfy, or fulfil
Usage
What are other ways to say implement? The word implement broadly refers to any article used in some activity. When should you use this noun over tool, instrument, or utensil? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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implementationnoun
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implementernoun
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implementornoun
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nonimplementnoun
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reimplementverb (used with object)
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implementableadjective
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implementaladjective
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nonimplementaladjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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implementsimple
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implementssimple
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have implementedperfect
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has implementedperfect
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am implementingprogressive
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are implementingprogressive
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is implementingprogressive
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have been implementingperfect progressive
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has been implementingperfect progressive
Past
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implementedsimple
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had implementedperfect
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was implementingprogressive
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were implementingprogressive
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had been implementingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of implement
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin implēmentum “a filling up,” equivalent to Latin implē(re) “to fill up” ( im- im- 1 + plēre “to fill” ) + -mentum -ment
Explanation
Apply the noun implement when you want to use a fancy word for "tool." A knife and fork are implements for handling food. The noun implement is a very useful word for just about anything you want to describe as a tool or a thing that helps you do something. An implement can be as simple as chimpanzees using a stick to eat ants with or a bulldozer that moves huge amounts of earth in building. The word relates to something that "fills up" a house, as in all sorts of things that allow a house to work properly.
Vocabulary lists containing implement
Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
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"A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "I"
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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:
Los Angeles could become one of the first major election jurisdictions to implement guidance or policy related to prediction markets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Szoboszlai's physicality allows him to cover the ground needed to make Liverpool's press feel numerically equal, while his judgement of when to step forward has helped the Reds start to implement Iraola's defensive ideas quickly.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
McDonald’s is responding to declining U.S. traffic, bringing in a new U.S. president to implement a turnaround strategy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
"The President was never in danger. We are continuing to review the incident and will implement any appropriate corrective actions based on our findings," it added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
She had been drilled so many times that, as she was meant to, she had begun to implement the steps already.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
The coach implements tactics based on the positions of players in the hope of giving their team an advantage.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Early humans often used bone implements to sharpen the cutting edges of handaxes and tools used for butchering animals.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
More than 100 pages of court documents which showed the wide range of items Murrell bought over a 12-year period revealed thousands of pounds went on kitchen implements and appliances.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
According to Achilles, FSG frequently implements the 5-by-8 trim size.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
By comparing the C’4 level in bones and wooden implements to the normal level in living tissues, Libby reasoned, scientists should be able to determine the age of these objects with unheard-of precision.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Bradnam said he had not received any "formal response" to his complaints, nor any "confirmation that my recommendations have been implemented or that the assurance gaps they identified have been addressed".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
That decision, which was upheld by an appellate court in July, had barred the new measures from being implemented in the states that sued, but not elsewhere.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
The Spanish government has implemented a “special security plan” ahead of the three major eclipses observable from its territory between now and January 2028 to manage the impact of crowds on public safety and services.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Schools including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology have implemented similar “grade-covering” programs in past years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The music education methods of Orff, Dalcroze, Kodály, etc., offer easily implemented solutions to add layers of cognitively challenging musical activities to something as simple as a song.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Furthermore, federal courts have typically given the president broad discretion in implementing the statute.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Early in his campaign, Becerra pitched himself as a “healthcare governor” who would lower costs and expand access to medical care by drawing on years of experience writing and implementing major healthcare laws.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Lead continues to lean bearish on the stock but stops short of implementing a sell recommendation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
A 15-point road map was also published on Friday, which sets out the final steps for implementing the agreement.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
The guide notes that agency ratings and funding are tied to whether they are “adopting and implementing effective applicant screening,” a clear signal that agencies may be penalized for not cleaning house.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
