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Imply vs Infer

Implyverb

express or state indirectly

Inferverb

conclude by reasoning; in logic

Full entry for Infer

The difference

The speaker implies; the listener infers. Implying is putting meaning in without stating it; inferring is taking meaning out.

How to keep them apart

They describe opposite ends of the same act, which is why using one for the other reverses who did what.

Other pairs worth knowing

All confused pairs · SAT list · GRE list · Full word list