Implication: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when referring to something suggested or indirectly indicated. It often refers to potential outcomes or meanings.

• The implication of her words was clear.
• He was careful about the implications of his actions.

Used when referring to the process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true. It's more about logical reasoning than actual outcomes.

• We made an inference based on the data gathered.
• Her inference was drawn from several clues.

Used when discussing the effect, result, or outcome that happens after an action or decision, often with a negative connotation.

• Every decision has its consequence.
• The consequences of the mistake were severe.

Used when talking about what happens after an action or event. It is straightforward and can be positive or negative.

• The experiment yielded surprising results.
• As a result of the rain, the match was postponed.

Used when indicating a consequence or result that is suggested but not directly stated. Often used in discussions related to indirect consequences or inferred meanings.

• The implication of his statement is that he knew about the fraud but chose to ignore it.
• Her silence had a clear implication that she did not agree with the decision.

A more general term used to describe someone's participation or engagement in an activity or situation. It does not carry any inherent positive or negative connotation.

• Her involvement in the community project helped bring it to success.
• He denied his involvement in the planning of the event.

Used in situations involving participation in a wrongful or criminal act. It typically carries a negative connotation.

• The businessman was arrested for his complicity in the money laundering scheme.
• Her complicity in the crime was revealed during the investigation.

Used to describe a complicated or problematic involvement in something, often with a sense of being trapped or ensnared.

• She found herself in a legal entanglement after signing the dubious contract.
• Their romantic entanglement complicated the team's dynamics.

Used when suggesting something that is not explicitly stated, often hinting at a hidden meaning or consequence.

• The implication of her statement was that we were not welcome
• The new policy has serious implications for the company's future

Used in formal discussions or academic settings, usually to emphasize a result that logically follows from a set of premises.

• A logical consequence of the data is that the hypothesis is confirmed
• The experiment's results were a logical consequence of the initial parameters

Often used in logical reasoning or problem-solving to describe the process of deriving a specific conclusion based on general premises.

• Through careful deduction, the detective uncovered the suspect's identity
• His deduction skills were impressive during the investigation

Used more in formal or technical contexts, especially in linguistics and logic, to describe a relationship between statements where one statement necessarily follows from another.

• In logic, entailment means that if the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true
• The lawyer's argument relied heavily on the entailment of the witness's testimony