as in to derive
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information
we can extrapolate from past economic recessions the probable course of the current one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 extrapolate
From data on high radiation exposures, scientists extrapolate, or predict, what might happen if people are exposed to lower levels of radiation.
—
Katy Huff, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026
Upcoming Reports While college officials will be heartened by these data, they should be interpreted cautiously, particularly when extrapolating to what total applicant volume might look like by the end of the admission cycle.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Big fantastical ones, but also ones that feel so normalized and mundane and get extrapolated to their most dystopian and absurd.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Typical smart scales only have foot electrodes, and solely use lower-body data to extrapolate total body composition.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extrapolate
Katy Huff, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026
Upcoming Reports While college officials will be heartened by these data, they should be interpreted cautiously, particularly when extrapolating to what total applicant volume might look like by the end of the admission cycle.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Big fantastical ones, but also ones that feel so normalized and mundane and get extrapolated to their most dystopian and absurd.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Typical smart scales only have foot electrodes, and solely use lower-body data to extrapolate total body composition.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extrapolate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extrapolate
Verb
-
Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag 1L Leather Alternative Made with faux leather that’s derived from cactus fiber, this belt bag is luxury on the go.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The first of these is alginate (derived from seaweed), which forms a gel when exposed to liquids (such as blood).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The collar will help scientists understand the movement patterns and reproductive behavior of the Sierra Nevada red fox, providing key insights to guide conservation efforts.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Those many Americans who still understand that freedom is the magic elixir that drives growth and prosperity are exiting blue states, leaving them to stew in their left-wing, socialist, low-growth and low-opportunity juices.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Monitoring high-level athletes for drug misuse is nothing new, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) surprised many people recently by deciding to track the use of GLP-1 drugs, such as the diabetes and obesity treatments Ozempic (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide).—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.—
Staff Reports,
The Providence Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In September, the preliminary revision inferred that the US economy likely added about 911,000 fewer jobs than the jobs reports initially estimated for the 12-month period running from April 2024 through March 2025.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Observers infer that people who go alone are more genuinely interested in the experience and more focused on its quality, rather than simply going along with someone else’s preferences.—
Peter McGraw,
Washington Post,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extrapolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extrapolate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
