implying
Saying without stating
Implying is suggesting something without stating it directly.
When you imply, you leave the listener to draw the inference: Are you implying I'm lying?
The word often surfaces when someone feels accused indirectly.
Implying is the speaker's action; inferring is the listener's.
I wasn't implying anything—you inferred it.
Indirect indication of something
- insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
- hintIndirect suggestion
- allusionIndirect reference to something
- innuendoOblique disparaging remark
indication · overtone · undertone · gesture · nudge · nod · wink · whisper
Slight shade of difference
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
- undertoneSubdued background quality
- overtoneSubsidiary meaning or harmonic
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
association · significance · meaning · symbolism · context · shade · coloring · suggestion
Claim someone did wrong
- aspersionDefamatory remark
- slurInsulting group label
- smearSpread or defame
- imputationAscribing fault to another
gossip · slander · defamation · snide · sly · sneaky · underhanded · backhanded
Conclusion from premises
- conclusionEnd or deduction
- reasoningDrawing logical conclusions
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- presumptionBelief held without proof
surmise · interpretation · extrapolation · logic · understanding · reading · gathering · deriving
Indirect, wordy expression
- evasionAct of escaping detection
- obliquenessLack of directness
- equivocationAmbiguous language avoiding commitment
- vaguenessAbsence of precision
ambiguity · ellipsis · understatement · hedging · skirting · dancing around · beating around · euphemism
intimation
Indirect indication of something
- insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
- hintIndirect suggestion
- allusionIndirect reference to something
innuendo · indication · overtone · undertone · gesture · nudge · nod · wink · whisper · signal
nuance
Slight shade of difference
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
- undertoneSubdued background quality
- overtoneSubsidiary meaning or harmonic
resonance · association · significance · meaning · symbolism · context · shade · coloring · suggestion · undercurrent
accusation
Claim someone did wrong
imputation · gossip · slander · defamation · snide · sly · sneaky · underhanded · backhanded · passive-aggressive
deduction
Conclusion from premises
- conclusionEnd or deduction
- reasoningDrawing logical conclusions
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
presumption · surmise · interpretation · extrapolation · logic · understanding · reading · gathering · deriving · construing
circumlocution
Indirect, wordy expression
- evasionAct of escaping detection
- obliquenessLack of directness
- equivocationAmbiguous language avoiding commitment
vagueness · ambiguity · ellipsis · understatement · hedging · skirting · dancing around · beating around · euphemism · coded
- pragmaticspresupposition, context, inference, locution, pragmatics
- indirectnesscircumlocution, euphemism, hedging, hint, hinting
- subtexthidden meaning, veiled meaning, subtext, innuendo, insinuation
- Imageboard Culture4chan, anon, anonymous, boards, thread
- highlightingemphasizing, stressing, underscoring, accenting, accentuating
- representingrepresenting, depicting, portraying, symbolizing, illustrating
implyingdeclaring
Formally stating something
articulating · spelling out · asserting · announcing · proclaiming
implyinginferring
Deriving meaning indirectly
deducing · concluding · gathering · reading between the lines · interpreting
imply, explicit, implied, implicit, complication, implication, implies, implicate, explicitly