Make Your Point > Archived Issues > IMPLY & IMPLICIT

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pronounce these words: Say IMPLY like this: "im PLY."  To hear it, click here. Say IMPLICIT like this: "im PLISS it."  To hear it, click here. connect these words to others: In an episode of The Simpsons, Lisa demonstrates the difference between inferring (noticing a hidden or indirect statement) and implying (making a hidden or indirect statement): Bart: "Dad, Mom's spending more time at Moe's than you are." Lisa: "And they seem awfully chummy." Homer: "Just what are you inferring?" Lisa: "I'm not inferring anything! You infer. I imply." Her implicit point is that Mom and Moe are getting too close. Those words imply and implicit are very close related to implic___, meaning "to get people involved in something, or show that they were involved in something, usually a crime--as if you're pulling them into the mess or tangle of the situation." Can you recall that one? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)   definitions: Our word "imply" has Latin bits that literally mean "to fold in." That's what it first meant in English, but over time it took on a figurative meaning. If you hint at something or suggest it, instead of just saying it plainly, you're implying it. It's as if you're folding your real message in along with whatever else you're saying, as if to partially hide it. In other words, to imply something is to say it or express it in a hidden or indirect way. Something implied, then, or implicit, is said or expressed in a hidden or indirect way. Occasionally, in phrases like "implicit trust," "implicit faith," "implicit respect," and "implicit obedience," the word "implicit" means "total, absolute, unquestioning, or free from any doubts." (Why this second meaning? Blame the popularity of the phrase "implicit faith," or in Latin, fides implicita, which first simply meant "faith in spiritual matters," but over time took on the more specific meaning of "blind, unthinking, unquestioning faith.") Here's an example from the Goofy Gophers: "I think you made a simply wonderful selection." "Well, thank you. I was a little concerned about your approval." "Oh, you needn't have worried. I trust your taste implicitly." grammatical bits: Parts of speech: "Imply" is a verb, the transitive kind: "He didn't come out and say it, but he did imply it." "Implicit" is an adjective: "an implicit rule," "an implicit threat;" "The threat was implicit in the email." Other forms:  Implied, implying, implication(s); implicitly, implicitness. The precise opposite of "implicit" is "explicit," meaning "clear, plain, definite, or detailed." There's not really a precise opposite of "imply," but "infer" is pretty close. To imply something is to drop a hint about it, and to infer something is to pick up on a hint about it. If you're looking for a precise etymological opposite of "imply," then "explicate" is pretty close. To imply something is to just hint at it, as if you're folding it in; while to explicate something is to explain it fully and clearly, as if you're folding it out. how to use them: The words "imply" and "implicit" are formal, academic, and very common. Like the word "tacit," they help us talk about indirect communication, about reading between the lines.  Talk about a person implying something, or about a person's face, voice, or actions implying something: "I think she's implying that your dress is too casual for this party."  Or, talk about an implicit bias or dislike, an implicit belief or assumption, an implicit approval or disapproval, an implicit acceptance or refusal, etc.  examples: "They treated me in a happy, offhand manner which implied I'd known them much longer than I had."    — Donna Tartt, The Secret History, 1992 "That S-suffix [on the iPhone 12S] was a helpful indication that a new model only contained minor changes. 'Don't worry about upgrading this year, folks,' was the implicit message."    — Jon Porter, The Verge, 15 September 2021 has this page helped you understand "imply" and "implicit"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study them: Explain the meanings of "imply" and "implicit" without saying "beat around the bush" or "buried." try one out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone's facial expression) implied that _____." Example 1: "Her gleeful smile implied that she was bursting to share a joke." Example 2: "'Now, what in God’s name is wrong?'      They left with mirthless smiles which implied that I would soon know what was wrong."    — Richard Wright, Black Boy, 1945    If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game for this month is MYP Wordles! You're likely familiar with the popular new game Wordle, created by Josh Wardle and recently purchased by the New York Times. You can play the real Wordle each day here. It's fun, simple, and addictive. You try to guess the five-letter word. Each time you guess, you see how close you are: a green box means you've gotten the right letter in the right spot; a yellow box means you've gotten a letter that's in the word but in the wrong spot; a gray box means you've guessed a letter that isn't in the word at all.  There's only one real Wordle every day. But luckily for us, the good folks at StriveMath.com have created a copycat Wordle tool, so you can play as many Wordles as you want, and even create and share your own. So, in each issue this month, try the MYP Wordle linked below. The answer will be a word we've studied. I'll give a series of hints that you can reveal if you choose to. If you can't figure out the answer, you can let the puzzle reveal it, or you can scroll all the way down. Enjoy! Click here to play today's MYP Wordle. If you need some hints, highlight the hidden white text below.    The letter it starts with is… Q    The vowels it includes are… U and A    The part of speech is… noun    The definition is… a small feeling of doubt or guilt that you get when you're worried that what you've done (or what you might do) is morally wrong review this word: 1. A near opposite of IMPLIED is A. SEPARATED. B. MADE PLAIN. C. MADE SECURE. 2. Brad Stennerson joked, "How to react to an ugly baby... Step 1: Show your authentic surprise. Step 2: Imply _____." A. anywhere but directly at the infant B. the baby's cuteness has shocked you C. as if the baby is a slobbering apricot Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. B Answer to the MYP Wordle: Qualm. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.