Synonyms of infer

infer

verb

in-ˈfər 

1

as in to derive

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information

he inferred that she had left because her coat was gone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• derive
• understand
• decide
• conclude
• deduce
• think
• guess
• extrapolate
• assume
• speculate
• judge
• reason
• ascertain
• suppose
• gather
• make out
• read
• surmise
• interpret
• draw a conclusion
• construe
• contemplate
• rationalize
• conjecture
• find out
• philosophize
• dope (out)

2

as in to indicate

to convey an idea indirectly

the results infer that there might be a problem with one piece of the equipment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• indicate
• imply
• suggest
• hint
• allude
• refer
• intimate
• insinuate
• signify
• mention
• signal
• point
• signalize
• smell (of)
• advert
• smack (of)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• declare
• explain
• announce
• proclaim
• describe
• elucidate
• spell out
• delineate

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

Recent Examples of infer

From these variations, astronomers can infer the presence of small planets tugging on their star—and even discern the planets’ mass. —Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025

Such images may infer that the director is deconstructing his work in one medium with another, but there was nothing so intentional on his mind. —Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025

The utility of this recording does not come just from what the pilots might say; the sound of a stall warning indicator or landing gear retraction or engine noise could each allow investigators to infer things about the flight's last moments. —Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 12 Mar. 2025

Engineers could also use the data to learn how a building behaves and changes over time, and infer how to construct better in the future. —Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025