derive

as in to understand
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information from the summit, he was able to derive his location from the position of several prominent landmarks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb derive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of derive are arise, emanate, flow, issue, originate, proceed, rise, spring, and stem. While all these words mean "to come up or out of something into existence," derive implies a prior existence in another form.

the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

How do arise and rise relate to one another, in the sense of derive?

Arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

new questions have arisen
slowly rose to prominence

When might emanate be a better fit than derive?

In some situations, the words emanate and derive are roughly equivalent. However, emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

reports emanating from the capital

How are the words flow and spring related as synonyms of derive?

Flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

words flowed easily from her pen

When can issue be used instead of derive?

While in some cases nearly identical to derive, issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

blood issued from the cut

When would originate be a good substitute for derive?

While the synonyms originate and derive are close in meaning, originate implies a definite source or starting point.

the fire originated in the basement

Where would proceed be a reasonable alternative to derive?

The synonyms proceed and derive are sometimes interchangeable, but proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

When is it sensible to use spring instead of derive?

The words spring and derive can be used in similar contexts, but spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

an idea that springs to mind

When could stem be used to replace derive?

Although the words stem and derive have much in common, stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

industries stemming from space research

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of derive These incentives are largely derived from federal and state regulations in the U.S. that require automakers to sell some number of low-emission vehicles or buy credits from companies like Tesla, which often have an excess. Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 2 July 2025 Many public-facing weather apps round these numbers or derive them from a single deterministic forecast, which could be wrong. Jim Foerster, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Some of those, such as the Romance languages, are derived from spoken Latin and brought the alphabet along with them; others, such as Turkish, have had the Latin alphabet retroactively applied. Longreads, 1 July 2025 Of that amount, $1.2 billion was derived from membership fees alone—accounting for nearly half of the operating profit, and primarily recurring. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for derive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derive
Verb
  • Some things are beyond the capacity of a child to understand, while others resonate most profoundly out of the mouths of babes.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 July 2025
  • If not, the Kings might come to understand why Kerr couldn’t always trust Kuminga in key situations.
    Jason Anderson July 5, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • After a marathon session, the Senate narrowly passed their version of the legislation with Vice President Vance having to cast the deciding vote.
    JJ Kinahan, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • What happens next: The 12-member jury will deliberate until a verdict is decided.
    Olivia Munson, USA Today, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Different molecules absorb light in different ways, and by analysing these absorption patterns – called spectra – scientists infer what chemicals are likely to be present.
    Oliver Swainston, Space.com, 28 June 2025
  • Learning to infer In traditional approaches, those disappearances are hard to cope with, even when using methods that already incorporate machine learning.
    Matt von Hippel, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Hong Kong concluded its stablecoin consultation in early 2025, signaling a shift toward regulatory recognition in Asia.
    Elizabeth Rossiello, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The judge also concluded that the balance of hardships favors the imposition of an injunction.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • If the cat is beside a cake with candles, computer vision may deduce that the cat is celebrating its birthday.
    Michael Jaszczyk, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • In other, arguably more significant developments, the Croat deduced that Negan had squashed the Dama’s pet rat and attacked the Saviors’ former leader with Lucille 2.0.
    Charlie Mason, TVLine, 8 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Derive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derive. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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