Imply definition

ĭm-plī

Words form:

Frequency:

To involve by logical necessity; entail.

Life implies growth and death.

verb

To make evident indirectly.

His fine clothes implied that he was wealthy.

verb

To have as a necessary part, condition, or effect; contain, include, or involve naturally or necessarily.

Drama implies conflict.

verb

Imply is defined as to suggest or express something indirectly or to involve something naturally.

An example of imply is a man asking a woman out for coffee with friends.

An example of imply is to hint to someone that their attitude is the reason for a specific problem.

verb

To express or state indirectly.

She implied that she was in a hurry.

verb

(archaic) To enfold, entangle.

verb

(of a proposition) To have as a necessary consequence.

The proposition that "all dogs are mammals" implies that my dog is a mammal.

verb

When I state that your dog is brown, I am not implying that all dogs are brown.

verb

(of a person or proposition) To hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement.

What do you mean "we need to be more careful with hygiene"? Are you implying that I don't wash my hands?

verb

(obs.) To enfold; entangle.

verb

To indicate indirectly or by allusion; hint; suggest; intimate.

An attitude implying boredom.

verb

Origin of imply

Middle English implien from Old French emplier to enfold from Latin implicāre implicate

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old French emplier, from Latin implicare (“to infold, involve”), from in (“in”) + plicare (“to fold”)

From Wiktionary