imply
verbto suggest something without saying it directly
Imply: I send the hint. It goes out from the speaker.
Imply vs infer
Same message, two ends of the conversation. Ask yourself: am I giving the hint, or reading it?
2 wordsaudio · quiz
Quick answer
Imply is to hint at something without saying it. Infer is to work out a meaning from what someone says or does.
infer
verbto work out a conclusion from what someone says or does, or from other evidence
Infer: the meaning comes in to your head. It happens in the listener.
The difference at a glance
| Word | Type | Means | Example | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| imply | verb | to suggest something without saying it directly | Are you implying that I made a mistake? | |
| infer | verb | to work out a conclusion from what someone says or does, or from other evidence | From his tired face, I inferred that he hadn't slept. |
See each one in a sentence
verb
imply
Examples
Are you implying that I made a mistake?
Her silence seemed to imply that she disagreed.
Common mistake
Not: What are you inferring by saying that?
Say: What are you implying by saying that?
You are asking what the speaker is hinting at, so use imply.
verb
infer
Examples
From his tired face, I inferred that he hadn't slept.
What can we infer from these figures?
Common mistake
Not: I implied from her tone that she was upset.
Say: I inferred from her tone that she was upset.
You are the one who works it out, so use infer.
Pick the right word
Fill the gap
Read the sentence, then choose the word that fits.
Now use them yourself
Write or say two sentences, one with each word, in a real conversation.