implication

implication — noun

1. a suggested idea that is not stated directly or openly — for example, when a per

1.nounB2
Definition

a suggested idea that is not stated directly or openly — for example, when a person's tone, choice of words, or silence makes you understand something they have not actually said.

Example

Anya caught the implication hidden in her boss's casual remark and felt uneasy.

implication hidden in [phrase/remark]

When the teacher said "some students need to try harder," the implication was that several people were not doing enough.

implication + that-clause for indirect message

Common collocations
  • catch the implication
  • miss the implication
  • by implication
  • the implication behind [something]
Synonyms
  • hint

    more direct and intentional than implication; a hint is given on purpose, while an implication may be unintended

  • insinuation

    more negative; suggests a deliberate attempt to suggest something unpleasant

  • suggestion

    wider in meaning; can be direct or indirect

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

implication + that-clause

by implication

Usage Note

This sense is often used with a that-clause ('the implication that...') to spell out the hidden message. The fixed phrase 'by implication' means 'indirectly, without being stated outright.'

Common Mistakes

The implication of the story is funny.
The implication in the story is funny.
Use 'in' not 'of' when referring to where the implication is found.

2. a possible future result or effect of a decision, action, or event — what someth

2.nounB2
Definition

a possible future result or effect of a decision, action, or event — what something will mean for other people, situations, or developments later on.

Example

The new tax law has serious implications for small business owners across Taiwan.

implications + for + noun phrase

Faisal considered the financial implications before signing the five-year rental agreement.

financial / legal / political + implications

Common collocations
  • serious implications
  • financial implications
  • long-term implications
  • consider the implications
  • understand the implications
Synonyms
  • consequence

    more neutral and factual; often used for direct cause-and-effect results

  • ramification

    more formal; emphasises complex, branching effects

  • outcome

    focuses on the end result rather than the broader effect on other things

Antonyms
  • cause

    the reason or origin, not the effect

Grammar Patterns

implications + of + noun phrase

implications + for + noun phrase

Usage Note

This sense is very frequently used in the plural (implications). A singular form is possible when talking about one specific result, but the plural strongly dominates in everyday use.

Common Mistakes

The implication of the policy was bad for workers.
The implications of the policy were bad for workers.
Use the plural when discussing multiple or general consequences.

3. when someone is shown or said to have a connection with a crime or dishonest act

3.nounC1
Definition

when someone is shown or said to have a connection with a crime or dishonest activity — often because of evidence, a witness statement, or another person's confession.

Example

The lawyer strongly denied any implication of her client in the bank fraud case.

implication + in + [crime noun]

The senator resigned from office after his implication in a bribery investigation became public.

implication in a [legal / political] investigation

Common collocations
  • deny implication in
  • implication in a scandal
  • fear implication in
  • lead to the implication of
Synonyms
  • involvement

    wider and less serious; can mean any kind of participation, not necessarily criminal

  • incrimination

    more technical and legal; means being shown as guilty through evidence

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

implication + in + noun phrase (crime / scandal / affair)

Usage Note

This sense frequently appears in legal and political contexts. It is often used passively: someone is implicated in a crime. The noun 'implication' here describes either the act of connecting someone (by police, a witness, etc.) or the state of being connected.

Common Mistakes

He faced implication of stealing.
He faced implication in the theft.
Use 'in' (not 'of') after implication when stating the crime.

Word family

  • imply
    verbB2
  • implied
    adjectiveB2
  • implicate
    verbC1
  • implicating
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words describe results, but they differ in scope and register. Consequence is the most neutral and direct: it refers to something that follows naturally from a cause ('the consequences of skipping meals'). Ramification is more formal and emphasises complex, spreading, or unintended effects, often negative ('the ramifications of a political scandal'). Outcome focuses narrowly on the final result at the end of a process ('the outcome of the election'), while effect is broader and can describe any change caused by an action ('the effect of the medicine'). Implication differs from all of these: it looks forward to what a decision will mean for other things that depend on it. For example: 'Raising the minimum wage has important implications for small businesses — the consequences include higher payroll costs, but the full ramifications may take years to surface.'

consequence ↗ramificationoutcome ↗effect ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • policy implications
  • legal implications
  • practical implications
  • political implications

Phrases

  • by implication
  • carry implications
  • have implications for
  • with serious implications

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Implication comes from Latin 'implicare' (to fold into, entwine), made from 'in-' (in) and 'plicare' (to fold). In Latin it meant 'to involve or entangle' — a sense that survives in the third meaning (involvement in crime). The word passed through French before entering English in the 1400s. Over time, it developed two additional threads: the idea of something being 'folded into' what someone says (giving us the hint/suggestion sense), and later the idea of one thing being 'wrapped up in' another's future (giving us the consequence sense).