implied meaning
noun phraseUK /ɪmˈplaɪd ˈmiːnɪŋ/
US /ɪmˈplaɪd ˈmiːnɪŋ/
The meaning that is hinted at but not said out loud.
When she said 'nice haircut,' the implied meaning was that she didn't like it.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The message a speaker intends without stating it directly.
His silence carried an implied meaning that he disagreed.
3. The deeper idea a story or picture suggests beyond its literal words.
The implied meaning of the fable is that honesty matters.
4. What a listener understands from tone or context rather than words.
From her sigh, the implied meaning was that she was tired.