What does implication mean?
An implication is a result, meaning, or conclusion associated with something, especially when that connection is not stated directly. In everyday and professional contexts, it often refers to the possible consequences of an action or decision: a policy may have important implications for employment, or a change in circumstances may have implications for future planning. It can also describe a meaning or attitude suggested indirectly by words or behavior, as when a speaker’s tone implies disapproval. In formal logic, an implication is a statement that follows from another statement. The word is useful because it highlights connections and consequences that may otherwise remain unexpressed, while its frequent association with analysis and careful reasoning gives it a formal, analytical tone.
A possible or likely result, consequence, or significance associated with an action, event, or statement.
"The proposal has major implications for the local economy."
Often used in formal, academic, legal, and business contexts.
A meaning, conclusion, or attitude that is suggested, often indirectly, by words, behavior, or circumstances.
"There was a clear implication in her reply that the deadline would not be extended."
This sense emphasizes what is communicated without being directly stated.
In formal logic, a proposition that follows from another proposition or set of propositions.
"The implication of the premise is that the conclusion must be true."
This is a specialized technical sense used primarily in logic and philosophy.
The plural is commonly used for the possible consequences or effects of an action, event, or decision.
"The findings have important implications for public health."
An implication can be powerful without being spoken aloud: it is often the meaning hidden in a decision, a silence, or a simple question.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does implication come from?
Implication comes from the Latin implicāre, meaning “to implicate” or “to involve,” and ultimately from the Latin implicāre’s root in plicāre, “to fold.” In English, implication developed in the sense of an inward or indirect meaning before acquiring its modern use for a consequence or likely result. The related word imply entered English in the early 17th century, while implicit developed later in the 18th century.
Related word forms
How implication is actually used
The word is common in formal, academic, legal, and business contexts, but it is also used in everyday speech. In its first sense, an implication is often a possible or indirect consequence rather than a certainty; in its second sense, it emphasizes what is suggested without being directly stated.
Easily confused with implication
An implication may be a possible consequence or an indirectly suggested meaning, whereas an implication in formal logic is a proposition that follows from another proposition.