These two verbs describe the same message from two different people.
- To imply something is to suggest it without saying it directly. The speaker does this.
- To infer something is to work out the meaning from what was said. The listener does this.
Imply: the speaker hints
Her smile implied that she liked the gift.
He didn't say he was tired, but his yawns implied it.
Infer: the listener works it out
From her smile, I inferred that she liked the gift.
The teacher's silence let us infer the test was hard.
Easy way to tell them apart
Ask: Who is doing the hinting?
- The person speaking is hinting? Use imply.
- The person listening is working it out? Use infer.
💡 The OddLingo Trick
Think of a message as a bridge. The speaker implies from one side, and the listener infers from the other. Imply sends the hint, and infer receives and reads it.
⚠️ Common mistakes
The speaker hints. Use imply.
❌ He inferred that the party was cancelled.
✅ He implied that the party was cancelled.
The listener works it out. Use infer.
❌ I implied from the weather that we would stay in.
✅ I inferred from the weather that we would stay in.