imply

verb

im·ply im-ˈplī How to pronounce imply (audio)

implied; implying

transitive verb

: to express indirectly

Her remarks implied a threat.

The news report seems to imply his death was not an accident.

: to involve or indicate by inference, association, or necessary consequence rather than by direct statement

rights imply obligations

: to contain potentially

obsolete : enfold, entwine

Example Sentences

Early reports implied that the judge's death was not an accident. His words implied a threat. War implies fighting and death.

Recent Examples on the Web Unsurprisingly, some crypto startups have taken a cautious approach to communications—like NFT marketplace OpenSea, which has instructed employees not to use words that could imply NFTs are securities.

Anne Sraders, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2022 The tweet could imply there were more disposals on Thursday that would have to be reported by Friday.

Dana Hull / Bloomberg, Time, 29 Apr. 2022 The consequences of this bitter polarization could imply resistance to vaccination efforts of all kinds, including those aimed at new vaccine-preventable diseases.

Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2021 Headaches and migraines have been associated with insomnia, sleepwalking, bruxism, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy as well, Dasgupta added, some of which could imply a genetic factor.

Kristen Rogers, CNN, 22 Sep. 2021 Police Chief Eddie García and Fire-Rescue Chief Dominique Artis said use of their photos on political mailers from council members Adam Bazaldua and Omar Narvaez could wrongly imply endorsements by uniformed employees.

Cassandra Jaramillo, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2021 The reference number is nothing more than a reference number and does not imply or connote a lower or higher priority.

Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 The exquisite dresses and lavish decor might imply abundance, but underneath the glam is the thirst for something more, far removed from societal expectations, perhaps even flawed – or human.

Tanu I. Raj, Billboard, 15 July 2022 The accusation is an ugly one, but Greene isn't the only Republican to make it -- or at least to imply it.

Jill Filipovic, CNN, 5 Apr. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English implien, emplien "to enfold, surround, entangle, involve by inference, contain implicitly," borrowed from Anglo-French emplier, implier "to involve by inference, entail," probably adaptation of emplier (variant of empleier, emploier "to entangle, put to use, employ entry 1") as a vernacular equivalent of Medieval Latin implicāre "to imply, mean by implication," modeled on parallel verbs in Middle English, as applien "to apply," replien "to reply entry 1" and their correspondents in Anglo-French — more at implicate

Note: The genesis of this verb is idiosyncratic, as it has no correspondent in continental French, and even the Anglo-French examples are—to judge by citations in the Anglo-Norman Dictionary—later than the Middle English examples, which are not much earlier than the fifteenth century. Middle French has impliquer as an adaptation of Latin implicāre, but this method of creating vernacular forms of verbs in -plicāre, though common in French, gained little traction in English. Note late and rare Middle English appliquen "to apply" (from Anglo-French and Middle French appliquer), for which the Oxford English Dictionary has no evidence past the sixteenth century.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

imply

verb

as in to indicate

to convey an idea indirectly they may have implied that they'd help, but they didn't actually say so

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

indicate
hint
suggest
allude
refer
infer
insinuate
intimate
signify
mention
signalize
point
signal
advert
smack (of)
smell (of)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

proclaim
declare
explain
announce
describe
elucidate
delineate
spell out

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of imply are hint, insinuate, intimate, and suggest. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," imply is close to suggest but may indicate a more definite or logical relation of the unexpressed idea to the expressed.

measures implying that bankruptcy was imminent

The words hint and imply are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement.

hinted that she might get the job

The synonyms insinuate and imply are sometimes interchangeable, but insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner.

insinuated that there were shady dealings

Although the words intimate and imply have much in common, intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor.

intimates that there is more to the situation than meets the eye

While in some cases nearly identical to imply, suggest may stress putting into the mind by association of ideas, awakening of a desire, or initiating a train of thought.

a film title that suggests its subject matter

单词	imply
释义	imply verb im·ply im-ˈplī implied; implying transitive verb 1 : to express indirectly Her remarks implied a threat. The news report seems to imply his death was not an accident. 2 : to involve or indicate by inference, association, or necessary consequence rather than by direct statement rights imply obligations 3 : to contain potentially 4 obsolete : enfold, entwine Synonyms allude hint indicate infer insinuate intimate suggest See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Early reports implied that the judge's death was not an accident. His words implied a threat. War implies fighting and death. Recent Examples on the Web Unsurprisingly, some crypto startups have taken a cautious approach to communications—like NFT marketplace OpenSea, which has instructed employees not to use words that could imply NFTs are securities. Anne Sraders, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2022 The tweet could imply there were more disposals on Thursday that would have to be reported by Friday. Dana Hull / Bloomberg, Time, 29 Apr. 2022 The consequences of this bitter polarization could imply resistance to vaccination efforts of all kinds, including those aimed at new vaccine-preventable diseases. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2021 Headaches and migraines have been associated with insomnia, sleepwalking, bruxism, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy as well, Dasgupta added, some of which could imply a genetic factor. Kristen Rogers, CNN, 22 Sep. 2021 Police Chief Eddie García and Fire-Rescue Chief Dominique Artis said use of their photos on political mailers from council members Adam Bazaldua and Omar Narvaez could wrongly imply endorsements by uniformed employees. Cassandra Jaramillo, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2021 The reference number is nothing more than a reference number and does not imply or connote a lower or higher priority. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 The exquisite dresses and lavish decor might imply abundance, but underneath the glam is the thirst for something more, far removed from societal expectations, perhaps even flawed – or human. Tanu I. Raj, Billboard, 15 July 2022 The accusation is an ugly one, but Greene isn't the only Republican to make it -- or at least to imply it. Jill Filipovic, CNN, 5 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English implien, emplien "to enfold, surround, entangle, involve by inference, contain implicitly," borrowed from Anglo-French emplier, implier "to involve by inference, entail," probably adaptation of emplier (variant of empleier, emploier "to entangle, put to use, employ entry 1") as a vernacular equivalent of Medieval Latin implicāre "to imply, mean by implication," modeled on parallel verbs in Middle English, as applien "to apply," replien "to reply entry 1" and their correspondents in Anglo-French — more at implicate Note: The genesis of this verb is idiosyncratic, as it has no correspondent in continental French, and even the Anglo-French examples are—to judge by citations in the Anglo-Norman Dictionary—later than the Middle English examples, which are not much earlier than the fifteenth century. Middle French has impliquer as an adaptation of Latin implicāre, but this method of creating vernacular forms of verbs in -plicāre, though common in French, gained little traction in English. Note late and rare Middle English appliquen "to apply" (from Anglo-French and Middle French appliquer), for which the Oxford English Dictionary has no evidence past the sixteenth century. First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4 Kids Definition imply verb im·ply im-ˈplī implied; implying : to express indirectly : suggest rather than say plainly Your remark implies that I am wrong. Legal Definition imply transitive verb im·ply im-ˈplī implied; implying 1 : to recognize as existing by inference or necessary consequence especially on legal or equitable grounds in ordinary circumstances…the law would imply that it was the duty of the hospital to use due care Haase v. Starnes, 915 S.W.2d 675 (1996) 2 : to make known indirectly imply verb as in to indicate to convey an idea indirectly they may have implied that they'd help, but they didn't actually say so Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance indicate hint suggest allude refer infer insinuate intimate signify mention signalize point signal advert smack (of) smell (of) Antonyms & Near Antonyms proclaim declare explain announce describe elucidate delineate spell out See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of imply are hint, insinuate, intimate, and suggest. While all these words mean "to convey an idea indirectly," imply is close to suggest but may indicate a more definite or logical relation of the unexpressed idea to the expressed. measures implying that bankruptcy was imminent The words hint and imply are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hint implies the use of slight or remote suggestion with a minimum of overt statement. hinted that she might get the job The synonyms insinuate and imply are sometimes interchangeable, but insinuate applies to the conveying of a usually unpleasant idea in a sly underhanded manner. insinuated that there were shady dealings Although the words intimate and imply have much in common, intimate stresses delicacy of suggestion without connoting any lack of candor. intimates that there is more to the situation than meets the eye While in some cases nearly identical to imply, suggest may stress putting into the mind by association of ideas, awakening of a desire, or initiating a train of thought. a film title that suggests its subject matter
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imply

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

Legal Definition

transitive verb

verb

Synonym Chooser