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I want a phrase where you can say that one thing implies another, one thing existing implies the existence of the other (implies in the non-mathematical sense)

Well, arrogance ______ insecurity

This person may be arrogant because of insecurities.

Paranoia _______ cowardice

Because someone is paranoid, they are probably a coward.

What phrase may be able to be used here?

The relationship doesn't have to be causal, I think the phrase I want can also be used in:

Strength _____ failure.

Because strength cannot exist without the precipitating failures.

Rejected similar:

  • go hand in hand (too assured, not cheeky enough)

I think there may actually just be a single word for this, like "betrays", but actually correct and idiomatic.

minseong
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    Many an opinion will follow. Betrays is sharp. So is flowers from and thrives in. – Yosef Baskin Aug 27 '20 at 14:18
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    derives? assumes? begets? –  Aug 27 '20 at 14:33
  • I think you have to tailor the verb more carefully to the metaphor you're using. The relationships you're trying to signal are not simple and don't have simple words attached, which is why metaphor is necessary. If you don't know what metaphor you're using, stop and rethink what you want to say and who you want to hear it. – John Lawler Aug 27 '20 at 14:59
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    Why is imply not good enough? – jsw29 Aug 27 '20 at 15:19

4 Answers4

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Entails is one possibility for the verb, but it is formal:

entail [tr.v.]

To have, impose, or require as a necessary accompaniment or consequence:

  • The investment entailed a high risk.

[AHD]

entail

To entail is to [necessarily] involve. A job at a movie theater might entail sweeping popcorn off the floor, probably because

  • watching a movie entails eating popcorn in the dark.

[Vocabulary.com]

...............

Another even more formal term for the strict mathematical sense of imply (A → B; if A is true, so is B) is predicate:

predicate – (logic) what is predicated of the subject of a proposition; the second term in a proposition is predicated of the first term by means of the copula:

  • `Socrates is a man' predicates manhood of Socrates.

[WordNet 3.0]

..............

However, possibly the most idiomatic way to say this sort of thing in less formal registers is:

  • 'Arrogance is synonymous with insecurity.'
  • 'Strength is synonymous with failure.' etc.

If you say that one thing is synonymous with another, you mean that the two things are very closely associated with each other so that one suggests the other or one cannot exist without the other.

[CollinsCoBuild]

  • 'Capitalism is synonymous with greed.'

[PoetChristopher] (obviously voicing an opinion)

This is obviously a stretched definition of 'synonymous'.

Edwin Ashworth
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    These options are all usable (subject to various limitations and qualifications), but it is not obvious that any of them is better than imply. But then, the OP hasn't explained why a substitute for imply is needed, in the first place. – jsw29 Aug 27 '20 at 15:18
  • @jsw29 'implies in the non-mathematical sense' is a very strong hint. In the maths sense, A → B means 'if A is true, so is B', ie A demands / entails B. The default everyday sense of 'implies' is 'suggests reasonably strongly'. If A is true, there's a good chance that B is too. Covered before at Usage of the word 'implies' when sure of a result. – Edwin Ashworth Aug 27 '20 at 15:29
  • True, but all the terms offered in this answer are like imply, in so far as they have their homes in the fields in which they are used with much stricter senses than the OP needs. If the OP is looking for something more loose and casual than imply, then none of these will improve things. – jsw29 Aug 27 '20 at 15:42
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A few words and phrases come to mind.

  • Arrogance stems from insecurity. (a cause/effect relatioship)
  • Arrogance and insecurity usually go together. (not necessarily cause/effect)
  • Arrogance is usually attached to insecurity. (neutral)
  • Arrogance dwells in insecurity.
  • Arrogance lies in insecurity.

As for the "strength/failure" example, I can't see how you could have them related, unless you admit that "stength prevents failure.

Centaurus
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I'm a fan of beget, however that might be more in the sense of the first item creating the second and thus not exactly what you're going for.

Beget : (transitive verb) to produce especially as an effect or outgrowth [Source: M-W Dictionary]

Alternatively, the phrase 'Coincides with' might do the trick.

Veskah
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I think the verb "TO DERIVE" is a good fit for your examples.

According to merriam-webster, it means:

  1. to take, receive, or obtain especially from a specified source
  2. to have or take origin
  3. come as a derivative

It is a synonym to INFER, DEDUCE, which are both good options too.

An example:

The novel's appeal derives entirely from the complexity of its characters.

Your examples:

Arrogance derives from insecurity

Paranoia derives from cowardice

Strength derives from failure.

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    Infer and deduce require as the subject a term for some person who performs this logical operation; derive is most often used that way as well, although it could be used in the way presented here. – jsw29 Aug 27 '20 at 15:29