easy
Her smile implied that she liked the surprise.
What does Imply mean?
Imply means suggest something indirectly or make it a likely or necessary result.
Dictionary definition
Imply means communicate an idea without stating it directly. It can also mean that one fact, condition, or result naturally involves or points to another.
Example sentences
Imply in a sentence
easy
The dark clouds imply that rain may be coming.
medium
Choosing a team captain implies giving that person some responsibility.
hard
The result may imply a connection, but it does not by itself prove that one event caused the other.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice imply in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Commonly confused words
Imply or infer?
Compare the meanings, then choose a word for each new sentence.
Imply
To communicate indirectly or make a result likely or necessary.
In a sentence The dark clouds imply that rain may be coming.
Infer
To reach a conclusion from facts or clues.
In a sentence We inferred from the dark clouds that rain was coming.
Spot the difference Imply describes putting or carrying a suggestion in a message, action, or fact. Infer describes drawing a conclusion from that evidence.
Which word fits?
Choose imply or infer for each blank. Say your answer, then check why it fits.
1Her pause seemed to ___ that she was uncertain.
Check answer 1
imply — The pause carries an indirect suggestion.
2From her pause, we can ___ that she may be uncertain.
Check answer 2
infer — We draw a conclusion from the pause as evidence.
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Write a sentence with implyQuick practice
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Practice the meaning of Imply
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What can imply mean?
A person, message, action, or clue can imply an idea without stating it directly.
Practice 2
Which sentence uses imply in the necessary-result sense?
Here imply means that making a promise naturally involves accepting a responsibility.
Practice 3
What is the clearest standard distinction between imply and infer?
The source puts the suggestion into the message; the reader or listener draws a conclusion from it.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Imply
Voice settings
Sounds like
im · ply · strongest beat: ply
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordImply.
Partverb.
MeaningImply means suggest something indirectly or make it a likely or necessary result.
ExampleExample: Her smile implied that she liked the surprise.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- im · ply
- Strongest beat
- ply
- Ending
- ply
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on ply.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Imply
Antonym review
Does Imply have an opposite?
Imply covers both indirect communication and logical involvement, so no single word is its general opposite. State directly contrasts with the first sense but is not an antonym for the necessity sense.
Synonym practice
Want to practice imply synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The final sentence seemed to imply a sequel," then compare close word choices. Practice imply synonyms.
Word family
Imply word family
Base word
imply
verb
implied
Past-tense and past-participle form of imply.
verb
implying
The -ing form; the y stays before -ing.
noun
implication
An indirect meaning or a possible result or effect.
adjective
implicit
Suggested or understood without being stated directly.
adverb
implicitly
In an indirect or unspoken way.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Imply
Hint for students
Ask whether the subject is sending or containing a suggestion. If a person is drawing a conclusion from clues, infer is usually the clearer verb.
Common mix-up
In careful standard English, a speaker, action, or clue implies something, while a listener or observer infers it. Informal use sometimes blurs this distinction, but keeping the two viewpoints separate makes writing clearer.
Try it in class or at home
Give pairs of cards showing a clue and a possible conclusion. Students write one sentence in which the clue implies the conclusion and a second sentence in which a person infers it, then identify any conclusion that the evidence does not fully prove.
Teacher prompt
Compare “The empty bowl implies that someone ate the soup” with “Noah inferred from the empty bowl that someone ate the soup.” What is giving the clue, and who is drawing the conclusion?
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Learning activities
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