implicitly

/ɪmˈplɪsɪtli/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈplɪsɪtli/ (ame, ipa)

implicitly — adverb

1. by hinting through tone, behaviour, or surrounding context, without stating the

1.副詞C1
釋義

by hinting through tone, behaviour, or surrounding context, without stating the meaning out loud.

例句

By offering Caleb the corner office, the boss implicitly named him the next director.

verb + implicitly: action signals an unstated meaning

Folake's silence at the meeting implicitly agreed with the new policy.

同義詞
  • tacitly

    very close in meaning; 'tacitly' stresses silent agreement, while 'implicitly' covers any unspoken signal

  • indirectly

    broader; covers any non-direct route, not only meaning carried without words

反義詞
  • explicitly

    directly opposite — saying something openly and in clear words

文法句型

verb + implicitly

implicitly + past participle

用法筆記

Often pairs with verbs of communication or judgement (assume, suggest, criticise, accept, agree) where the action carries meaning that was never said aloud. Distinguish from sense 2 by checking whether the sentence describes an unspoken message (sense 1) or a complete attitude such as trust or belief (sense 2).

常見錯誤

❌He told me implicitly that I should leave.
✅He implied that I should leave.
💡if the speaker actually said the words, use 'imply' or 'hint'; 'implicitly' is for meaning carried by silence, behaviour, or context.

2. in a total way, with no doubt or question at all — used mainly with verbs like t

2.副詞C1
釋義

in a total way, with no doubt or question at all — used mainly with verbs like trust, believe, or obey.

例句

Élise trusts her older sister implicitly with the children on weekends.

trust + implicitly: the most common collocation

The young soldiers were trained to obey their officers implicitly.

obey + implicitly: military or hierarchical context

同義詞
  • completely

    more general; works with any adjective or verb, while 'implicitly' is restricted to trust, belief, obedience

  • unconditionally

    stresses that no terms or limits are attached; close in feel for trust and love

  • absolutely

    everyday equivalent; less formal than 'implicitly'

反義詞
  • warily

    with caution and partial doubt — the opposite attitude toward trust

文法句型

trust / believe / obey + implicitly

用法筆記

Almost always modifies verbs of trust, belief, or obedience — 'trust implicitly', 'believe implicitly', 'obey implicitly', 'rely on implicitly'. It does not normally describe physical actions ('run implicitly' is wrong). Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is the totality of trust or obedience, not whether a message was unspoken.

常見錯誤

❌Pim implicitly drove the car to Bangkok.
✅Pim drove the car to Bangkok without hesitation.
💡sense 2 attaches only to verbs of trusting, believing, or obeying; for physical actions use 'without hesitation' or 'completely'.