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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word imply distinct from other similar verbs?

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

When is it sensible to use hint instead of imply?

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

When can insinuate be used instead of imply?

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

When could intimate be used to replace imply?

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

Where would suggest be a reasonable alternative to imply?

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imply Moton was immediately ruled out with his knee injury, which typically implies a notable ailment. Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2025 For so many elements to still be visible implies that their accretion onto the white dwarf must have happened relatively recently — within the past 35,000 years. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025 This is why, for most of the 20th century — until the 1980s — people assumed that the hot Big Bang implied a singularity at the beginning. Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025 But the district’s investigation did not address the allegation of antisemitism, implying there was no discrimination, the California Department of Education report said. Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imply
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imply
Verb
  • The quarterback might touch the $1,000 poker chip or tap his chin or touch his black chips to indicate who at the table had the best hand.
    Rob Wile, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Reason for Wausau's closure isn't clear In the letter, a formal notification that complies with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, Wausau's group vice president of the snow and ice division, JP Bourque, did not indicate the reason for the company's closure.
    Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Critics have also raised concerns about the use of private donors, suggesting there could be a conflict of interest at play.
    Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 25 Oct. 2025
  • To suggest that another candidate’s supporters are criminals — particularly when that candidate is, by all measures, poised to win at least a plurality of votes in the city — does not seem like a recipe for earning New Yorkers’ support.
    New York Times, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its detection in computer simulations of solar eruptions would hint to where these space weather events may be forming.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Durant, 37, reportedly signed a two-year extension worth $90 million with the team on Sunday and the move to acquire the 15-time NBA All-Star hints that the franchise is all-in this season.
    Ben Morse, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Imply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imply. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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