imply

im·ply

Use imply in a sentence

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.

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"imply." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/IMPLY>.

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imply. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/IMPLY

imply

transitive verb

-·plied′, -·ply′ing

to have as a necessary part, condition, or effect; contain, include, or involve naturally or necessarily: drama implies conflict
to indicate indirectly or by allusion; hint; suggest; intimate: an attitude implying boredom
Obs. to enfold; entangle

Origin of imply

Middle English implien from Old French emplier from Classical Latin implicare, to involve, entangle from in-, in + plicare, to fold: see ply

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MLA Style

"imply." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/IMPLY>.

APA Style

imply. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/IMPLY

imply

transitive verb

im·plied, im·ply·ing, im·plies

a. To express or state indirectly: She implied that she was in a hurry.
b. To make evident indirectly: His fine clothes implied that he was wealthy. See Synonyms at suggest. See Usage Note at infer.
To involve by logical necessity; entail: Life implies growth and death.

Origin of imply

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

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"imply." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/IMPLY>.

APA Style

imply. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/IMPLY

Verb

(third-person singular simple present implies, present participle implying, simple past and past participle implied)

(archaic) to enfold, entangle.
(of a proposition) to have as a necessary consequence
The proposition that "all dogs are mammals" implies that my dog is a mammal
(of a person) to suggest by logical inference
When I state that your dog is brown, I am not implying that all dogs are brown
(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?