“Imply” and “infer” are terms used in indirect communication, but they have opposite roles. To “imply” is to suggest or hint at something without directly saying it. To “infer,” on the other hand, is to interpret or deduce information based on hints or suggestions. In short, speakers imply ideas, and listeners infer meaning from those ideas.
Here are some sentence examples for this tricky pair of words:
Imply
“The apples trees are beautiful, but their fruit isn’t exactly tasty,” said Tim.
“Are you implying that my apple pie will be less-than-delicious?” asked Terri.
“Are you implying that we shouldn’t bother picking apples this weekend?” asked Sally.
“I’m just saying I don’t like Granny Smiths,” said Tim.
vs.
Infer
Tim said, “I’m not a fan of music.”
Sally inferred that she shouldn’t buy Tim a record for his birthday.
Terri inferred that Tim is a snobby bore.
When you IMply, you are sending information. Remember that imply begins with I M, as in I’M SPEAKING. When I state that Ruby Receptionists is more than an answering service, I’m implying that our service exceeds expectations.
When you INfer, you are receiving information, and finding meaning IN what someone else has relayed. After perusing Ruby’s website, you’ll likely infer that our virtual receptionist service is an ideal fit for your business.
