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Definition of implicate

implicate

/ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/
im · pli · cate
Adjective:implicative
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Past Simple:implicated
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Past Participle:implicated
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Present Participle:implicating
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implicate Lexical Profile

implicate Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To show or suggest that someone or something is involved in a crime, wrongdoing, or harmful situation.

Example

"Financial records recovered during the audit directly implicated several senior executives in the fraud scheme."

2

To convey or express a meaning, truth, or consequence indirectly as a necessary logical inference.

Example

"In formal pragmatics, uttering a partial statement often implicates a broader conversational meaning."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for implicate
Antonyms
View all antonyms for implicate

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'implicate' with 'imply': 'implicate' usually means to show that someone is involved in a crime or harmful event, whereas 'imply' means to suggest a meaning indirectly without stating it outright.

• Rhymes for implicate

• Nearby Words

implementation
implementer
implex
implicate
implication
implicit
implicitly

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Latin 'implicatus', the past participle of 'implicare', meaning 'to fold in, entangle, or involve', formed from 'in-' (into) and 'plicare' (to fold).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Implicate. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/implicate
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