deduction

noun

di-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce deduction (audio)
Definition of deductionnext
1
as in reduction
something that is or may be subtracted contestants get a deduction from their scores for every incorrect guess

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in subtraction
the act or an instance of taking away from a total the deduction of the amount awarded to the plaintiff in order to pay the legal fees

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in inference
an opinion arrived at through a process of reasoning his impressive deduction of the correct answer from only a few hints

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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 deduction That client's business expense deductions totaled nearly $53,000. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Amaral listed some of the other advantages of co-producing with Brazil, including production services at lower rates, incredibly high-quality crews, and tax deductions and incentives in certain states. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026 In this example, there wouldn’t be any deduction if charitable gifts are less than the $2,000 floor. — Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, Republicans are hoping that voters will reward them for the tax cuts in their domestic policy megabill, like deductions for overtime and tips. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deduction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deduction
  1. reduction
  2. subtraction
  3. inference
  4. discount
  5. determination
  6. conclusion
Noun
  • Twin Cities Marathon reported similar information, though without detailed analysis of risk reduction methods.
    — Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Staff reductions are expected to be brutal, and with so many duplicative roles across HBO Max and Paramount+, many talented executives will lose their jobs.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduction
Noun
  • For the Ducks to match that, their summer additions will have to add up to more than the subtractions.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Not only did management have to make a handful of subtractions, but every key RFA has signed above market value.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of subtraction
Noun
  • Among them is the Wellcome Leap Quantum for Bio (Q4Bio) program, where Infleqtion pioneered and demonstrated on hardware a quantum neural network approach with training on GPU and inference on QPU for biomarker discovery.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The same task can run on different models, inference engines and hardware, each with different quality, latency, energy and cost profiles.
    — Anshu Bansal, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of inference
Noun
  • The weekend before, there will specials aplenty, Alarcon-Frohman promises, such as BOGO admissions and discount codes.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • By the time competitors start pushing discounts, our clients are already part of the buyer’s decision process.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of discount
Noun
  • Amelia Maldonado, a county land-use spokesperson, said in an email that while county staffers provide recommendations, the Planning Commission has the authority to reach its own determination.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Peete’s story should teach us that defensive action and determination can go a long way.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of determination
Noun
  • But to jump to conclusions that the intent of this celebration was to drink alcohol and specifically beer was a leap.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • When the system is uncertain, the case can be escalated rather than forcing a binary conclusion.
    — Arpan Saxena, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of conclusion

Browse Nearby Words

deducting
deduction
deductions
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Cite this Entry

“Deduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deduction. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deduction

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deduction

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