- Imply means to suggest or to say something in an indirect way.
- Infer means to suppose or come to a conclusion, especially based on an indirect suggestion.
Implying and inferring are both common elements of communication. One means to state something, and the other to conclude something. But it’s surprisingly easy to confuse these two verbs.
What Does Imply Mean?
When we imply something, we’re hinting at what we mean but not saying it directly: