What does imply mean?
To imply something is to communicate a meaning, idea, or consequence without stating it directly. A speaker may imply a conclusion, an attitude, a condition, or a result through words, actions, or circumstances. For example, a warning can imply that danger is present, while a set of instructions may imply a particular sequence of actions. The word is especially useful when describing information that points toward something without formally establishing it. In legal and analytical writing, “imply” can also mean that a conclusion is logically or practically entailed by the facts, although this stronger use should be distinguished from merely suggesting a possible interpretation. Compared with saying, it highlights the indirect relationship between evidence and meaning.
verbTo suggest or indicate something without stating it directly; to make a particular meaning or consequence understood.
- To suggest or make something understood without expressing it directly.
- To entail or have something as a necessary consequence.
- To indicate or suggest a broader meaning, association, or intention.
"The evidence implies that the policy will need to be changed."
"His silence implied that he disagreed with the proposal."
"The wording of the contract implies that the tenant must pay for repairs."
What is implied can be more persuasive than what is said: a raised eyebrow may carry an argument that no sentence could.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of imply
The word comes from Latin implicare, meaning “to implicate” or “to entangle,” from in- (“in”) and plicare (“to fold”). It entered English in the late 16th century with the sense of suggesting something indirectly. The root also appears in related English words such as implicit, implicate, and complicit, which preserve the idea of being involved or involved in a connection.
Related word forms
How imply is actually used
Imply is commonly used in formal and neutral contexts. It often signals that a conclusion is strongly suggested rather than explicitly stated, but context determines whether the suggestion is definite or tentative.
Easily confused with imply
To imply is to suggest a meaning from a statement or situation, while to infer is to form a conclusion from available evidence.