I often hear “infer” when people mean “imply”.

Problem:
The verbs “imply” and “infer” are not synonyms!

Explanation:
The primary definition of the verb “imply” is convey or suggest without stating outright.

The primary definition of the verb “infer” is draw conclusions that are not explicit in what is stated.

In other words, “imply” is what the speaker or writer does, whereas “infer” is what the listener or reader does.

Many will use “infer” when what they mean is “imply”. I believe that this is consistent with my “Devolution toward Simpler” linguistic hypothesis. The verb “infer” is simpler to say than is the verb “imply”. In particular, it’s simpler to follow the “n” sound with an “f” sound than it is to follow an “m” sound with a “pl” sound. (Try it!) Plus, it’s simpler to speak a word that ends with “er” than it is to speak a word that ends with “y” (which has to be held longer than “er”).

Solution:
Use “imply” when you’re talking about suggesting without writing (or speaking) outright. Use “infer” when you’re talking about reading (or hearing) more than what is written (or spoken).