Synonym Chooser

How is the word infer distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of infer are conclude, deduce, gather, and judge. While all these words mean "to arrive at a mental conclusion," infer implies arriving at a conclusion by reasoning from evidence; if the evidence is slight, the term comes close to surmise.

from that remark, I inferred that they knew each other

Where would conclude be a reasonable alternative to infer?

In some situations, the words conclude and infer are roughly equivalent. However, conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.

concluded that only the accused could be guilty

How are the words deduce and infer related?

Deduce often adds to infer the special implication of drawing a particular inference from a generalization.

denied we could deduce anything important from human mortality

When is gather a more appropriate choice than infer?

While the synonyms gather and infer are close in meaning, gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.

gathered their desire to be alone without a word

In what contexts can judge take the place of infer?

The synonyms judge and infer are sometimes interchangeable, but judge stresses a weighing of the evidence on which a conclusion is based.

judge people by their actions

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 infer Clarity in sight Because the Kuiper Belt is difficult to observe, astronomers rely on studying the orbits of a limited number of objects to infer the presence of a planet. Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 With advice from our collaborator Bill Thompson, Yang designed a computer game that required children to use feedback clues to infer the height order of items hidden behind a wall, . Celeste Kidd, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025 The study didn’t dive into why new apartments were safer but it could be inferred that modern apartments come with modern safety measures, Horowitz said. Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025 In a Universe with dark energy, a cosmological constant, or the zero-point energy of quantum fields, there’s no reason to infer that the zero-point energy would actually be zero. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for infer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infer
Verb
  • Just like the blueberry milk, milky rose, and matcha latte nails that came before it, the name is derived from the shade used to achieve the look.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Because they are derived from patient-specific stem cells, researchers can create personalized versions that reflect an individual’s genetic makeup.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The quarterback might touch the $1,000 poker chip or tap his chin or touch his black chips to indicate who at the table had the best hand.
    Rob Wile, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Reason for Wausau's closure isn't clear In the letter, a formal notification that complies with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, Wausau's group vice president of the snow and ice division, JP Bourque, did not indicate the reason for the company's closure.
    Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Of course, a reliable method for measuring a team’s performance is to use underlying metrics to understand the team’s process more than its outcomes.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The clip then smash-cuts to a scene of Bruce as a child listening to his parents fight in the next room, and we’re meant to understand that the joy and power that steams off of the stage is a cure for the pain of childhood wounds.
    Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And pretty much all of the data suffer from the reality that, as any stats teacher will remind you, correlation does not necessarily imply causation.
    Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Morgan Stanley's 12-month price target of $800 implies 18% upside.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • However, before Eleven Labs even had a concrete product, Reina, who was working at Palantir Technologies at the time, decided to take a chance on the firm after meeting Staniszewski.
    Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Congress decided to make daylight saving time permanent for two years from 1973 to 1975, extending the hours of daily sunlight year-round to conserve energy during the oil embargo crisis.
    Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Adam Weirib of Yanks Go Yard recently suggested the Yankees could look to swing a trade for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
    Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
  • This could help explain why some research suggests that kombucha may not affect blood sugar as much as other drinks with similar sugar content.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its detection in computer simulations of solar eruptions would hint to where these space weather events may be forming.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Durant, 37, reportedly signed a two-year extension worth $90 million with the team on Sunday and the move to acquire the 15-time NBA All-Star hints that the franchise is all-in this season.
    Ben Morse, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infer. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on infer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!