implicit

adjective

im·plic·it | \ im-ˈpli-sət

Definition of implicit

1a : capable of being understood from something else though unexpressed : implied an implicit assumption

b : involved in the nature or essence of something though not revealed, expressed, or developed : potential a sculptor may see different figures implicit in a block of stone— John Dewey

c of a mathematical function : defined by an expression in which the dependent variable and the one or more independent variables are not separated on opposite sides of an equation — compare explicit sense 4

2 : being without doubt or reserve : unquestioning an implicit trust

Other Words from implicit Synonyms & Antonyms Implicit With a Preposition More Example Sentences Learn More about implicit

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Implicit With a Preposition

Implicit is often followed by a preposition, and that preposition is usually in:

"American Horror Story" is a pretty grisly show. No one should be too surprised by that revelation — it’s sort of the promise implicit in its name, after all.
—Lacy Baugher, The Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2016

On less frequent occasions, implicit may be followed by from, with, or within:

[S]uch a ruling seemed implicit from Fullam’s comments.
—Sean O’Sullivan, The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), 4 October 2006

Implicit with the discovery of oil was the hard truth that it wasn't going to last forever.
—Warren Jones et al., Alaska Dispatch News, 1 June 2016

Russia's president was explicit, calling on the West to pressure Kiev to deliver results. Implicit within that was a threat: that Moscow will not play along with the talks forever.
—Sarah Rainsford, BBC News, 14 Aug. 2016

The black dead ocean looked like a mirror of the night; it was cold, implicit with dread and death…
—Norman Mailer, The Naked and the Dead, 1948

Examples of implicit in a Sentence

This assumption, implicit in innumerable statements by President Reagan … dictates most of our current political and military programs. — Henry Steele Commager, Atlantic, March 1982 … in the best stories the end is implicit from the beginning. — Joan Aiken, The Writer, May 1968 The goodness and strength implicit within Pen unfold but slowly. — John DeBruyn, LIT, Spring 1966 The movies borrowed from other arts on the way to finding methods implicit in their medium. — Bernard DeVoto, The World of Fiction, 1950 There is a sense of moral duty implicit in her writings. I have implicit trust in her honesty.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the topic and setting will provide an implicit contrast to Trump and his view of US leadership around the globe. — Kevin Liptak, CNN, "Obama to deliver Mandela event speech in latest contrast with Trump," 23 Apr. 2018 Headley’s violent arrest comes after years of Mayor de Blasio and police department officials praising the NYPD’s increased emphasis on de-escalation and fighting implicit bias. — P.r. Lockhart, Vox, "Video of police ripping a black child from his mom has sparked debate over NYPD practices," 11 Dec. 2018 Mitchell concludes that Gould incorrectly accused Dr. Morton of inaccurately measuring the cranial capacity of his skulls but was nonetheless correct with regard to Morton's implicit racial bias. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "There’s new evidence confirming bias of the “father of scientific racism”," 4 Oct. 2018 One will address implicit bias based on stereotypes by supporting special training programs in medical, nursing, and other training schools. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Black Women Are Dying During Childbirth. Sen. Kamala Harris Is Working to Change That.," 23 Aug. 2018 Investors have long assumed these financing vehicles have implicit backing from local governments and, ultimately the central government. — Andrew Peaple, WSJ, "Think Local When It Comes to China’s Debt," 31 Dec. 2018 What began as an unproven heart disease theory had come to embody an implicit consumer logic. — Jamie Lauren Keiles, Vox, "How low-fat dairy came to rule the US — and why that’s changing.," 20 Dec. 2018 But fashion brands’ implicit messaging is also important. — Chavie Lieber, Vox, "Cambridge Analytica used fashion preferences to target people on Facebook," 29 Nov. 2018 The implicit heroes throughout Mr. Poldrack’s book are the scientists who wield statistical tools wisely. — Matthew Hutson, WSJ, "‘The New Mind Readers’ Review: Scanning for Thoughts," 27 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'implicit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.