implicit
Say it: im-PLISS-it /ɪmˈplɪsɪt/ · adjective
What “implicit” means
Suggested or understood without being said directly.
More precisely: Suggested or understood without being stated directly.
Example: “There was an implicit expectation that everyone would answer emails on weekends.”
When to use it
When a message, expectation or meaning is there between the lines, especially in discussions about communication or behaviour.
Similar words
implied, unspoken, understood
Where it comes from
From Latin implicitus, "entwined."
Quick check
Your host yawns, puts on pyjamas and starts switching off lights without asking you to leave. The message is…
implicit or explicit?
Show the answer
implicit
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