You’re right, here’s the complete corrected entry:
Suggested or understood without being directly stated; complete and without any doubt.
Nobody at the meeting said the project was failing. But there was an implicit message in the manager’s tone and body language — everyone understood that changes were coming, even though the words were never spoken out loud.
This meaning is about something understood without being said openly. Imagine a job posting that says “young, energetic team” — there’s an implicit message that older applicants might not fit in, even though it’s never stated directly. This is something implicit. You might notice an implicit criticism in someone’s comments, or a contract could contain implicit assumptions about responsibilities. Or picture a parent saying “It’s getting late” to a teenager at a party — the implicit meaning is “time to go home.” The word suggests reading between the lines. ✏️ The opposite is “explicit,” which means clearly and directly stated.
Vivid example: When the boss asked who wanted to “volunteer” for weekend shifts, there was an implicit expectation that everyone would raise their hands — refusing wasn’t really an option, even though he never said it was mandatory.
This meaning is about total, unquestioning belief or trust. Imagine a patient who follows every instruction from their doctor without hesitation — they have implicit trust in their medical expertise. This is implicit faith. You might have implicit confidence in your best friend’s loyalty, or soldiers could show implicit obedience to their commander. Or think about a child who has implicit belief in everything their parents say. The word suggests complete trust with no doubts at all. ✏️ This meaning only works with words like trust, faith, belief, confidence, and obedience.
Vivid example: After twenty years of marriage, she had implicit trust in her husband’s decisions, never questioning his judgment because he had proven himself reliable time and time again.
Examples from the street:
“There was an implicit understanding that we’d split the costs equally.” → We never actually discussed it, but we both just knew we’d share the expenses
“She has implicit trust in her doctor — she’d do whatever he recommends.” → She has complete, unquestioning faith in her physician
“The threat was implicit in his tone, even though he didn’t say anything directly.” → You could sense the warning in how he spoke, even without explicit words
Implicit as suggested but not stated — VERY COMMON:
– implicit understanding/agreement → something both parties know without discussing it
– implicit assumption → something taken for granted without being stated
– implicit message/meaning → the underlying point that isn’t said directly
– implicit criticism/threat/warning → negative content conveyed indirectly
– implicit in (something) → contained within something without being openly expressed
– remain implicit → stay unstated or unspoken
Implicit as complete/unquestioning:
– implicit trust/faith → complete, absolute belief without any doubt
– implicit confidence (in) → total, unquestioning assurance
– implicit obedience → following instructions without question
– implicit belief → accepting something completely without needing proof
Implicit in technical/academic contexts:
– implicit bias → unconscious prejudice that affects behaviour without awareness
– implicit knowledge/memory → understanding you have without conscious awareness
– implicit cost → an expense that isn’t directly paid but represents lost opportunity
Example Sentences
1. There was an implicit understanding between us that whoever arrived first would get the window seat
→ We had an unspoken agreement that the first person to show up would sit by the window.
2. The implicit assumption in his argument is that everyone has access to the internet
→ His reasoning takes for granted — without actually stating it — that everybody can get online.
3. Her praise contained an implicit criticism of the previous management
→ While complimenting the new team, she was indirectly suggesting that the former bosses had done a poor job.
4. The threat was implicit — he never said he’d fire me, but I knew what he meant
→ The warning was unspoken — he didn’t directly say I’d lose my job, but the message was clear.
5. A promise of confidentiality is implicit in the doctor-patient relationship
→ The expectation that information will be kept private is built into the bond between physicians and those they treat.
6. She has implicit trust in her business partner — she’d sign anything he put in front of her
→ She has complete, unquestioning faith in her colleague — she’d agree to any document he presented.
7. The soldiers were expected to show implicit obedience to their commanding officer
→ The troops were required to follow their superior’s orders without hesitation or question.
8. Research shows that implicit bias can affect hiring decisions even among well-meaning employers
→ Studies reveal that unconscious prejudice can influence recruitment choices even when managers have good intentions.
9. The contract makes explicit what was previously implicit — that both parties share liability
→ The agreement clearly states what was previously just understood — that both sides are equally responsible.
10. His support for the project remained implicit — he never openly endorsed it but quietly removed obstacles
→ His backing for the initiative stayed unspoken — he didn’t publicly approve it but discreetly cleared the way.
Learner Examples
1. There’s an implicit expectation in most language classes that students will practise outside of lessons
→ It’s an unspoken assumption in most foreign language courses that learners will study on their own time as well.
2. Much of what we know about grammar is implicit knowledge — native speakers follow rules they’ve never consciously learned
→ A lot of our understanding of language structure is unconscious — people who grew up speaking it obey patterns they were never formally taught.
✔ Native usage tips
– “Implicit” vs “explicit” — learn them as a pair — these are direct opposites. “Explicit” means clearly and directly stated; “implicit” means suggested or understood without being stated. Native speakers often use them together: “Let’s make the implicit explicit”
– Don’t confuse “implicit” with “implied” — they’re related but different. “Implied” is the past participle of the verb “imply” and describes an action: “She implied I was lazy.” “Implicit” is an adjective describing something’s nature: “There was an implicit criticism in her words”
– “Implicit trust” is a fixed collocation — this phrase meaning “complete, unquestioning trust” is extremely common. The “unquestioning” meaning of “implicit” is mostly limited to this phrase and a few others like “implicit faith” and “implicit obedience”
– “Implicit bias” is now widely known — this psychological term referring to unconscious prejudice has entered mainstream vocabulary, especially in discussions about racism, hiring practices, and social justice
– More common in writing than speech — in casual conversation, people more often say “unspoken,” “understood,” or “just assumed” rather than “implicit.” You’ll hear “implicit” in formal discussions, academia, and journalism
– “Implicit in” is a key construction — this phrase means “contained within” or “built into.” It’s used to point out hidden assumptions or meanings: “Racism is implicit in the policy” means the policy contains racism even if it’s not obvious
✔ Similar expressions / words
– Implied → closely related but functions as a verb form; “an implied threat” and “an implicit threat” are nearly identical, but “implied” feels slightly more active (someone did the implying) while “implicit” describes the nature of the threat itself
– Unspoken → more common in everyday speech; less formal; “an unspoken agreement” is friendlier than “an implicit agreement”; works well for rules, agreements, and understandings
– Tacit → very similar meaning but even more formal and literary; “tacit approval” means approval shown through silence or inaction rather than words; often used in legal and diplomatic contexts