as in deriving
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
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Recent Examples of extrapolating
Big data models learn by copying existing actions—how to fold clothes, write a dissertation, or create a video of a pig hoverboarding through space—by parsing previous examples and extrapolating similar behavior.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 27 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
Noise around some assumptions used to plug missing data from the government shutdown kept investors from extrapolating too much from the benign reading.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025
How Fasting Affects Gut Hormones Scientists can glean some insight into what happens to the gut during these big meals by extrapolating data from fasting research.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 25 Nov. 2025
Investors may imply excessive aggregate revenue and profit gains by extrapolating the stunning earnings growth achievable by individual companies across all potential winners.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025
To set the record straight, Mosconi notes that extrapolating the research to mean the brain eats itself during menopause is incorrect.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Nov. 2025
Near the end of the novel, David imagines Giovanni’s murder of Guillaume, extrapolating from the details breathlessly reported in the press.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
That figure is currently just above 50%, extrapolating from available data.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 27 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
Noise around some assumptions used to plug missing data from the government shutdown kept investors from extrapolating too much from the benign reading.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025
How Fasting Affects Gut Hormones Scientists can glean some insight into what happens to the gut during these big meals by extrapolating data from fasting research.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 25 Nov. 2025
Investors may imply excessive aggregate revenue and profit gains by extrapolating the stunning earnings growth achievable by individual companies across all potential winners.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025
To set the record straight, Mosconi notes that extrapolating the research to mean the brain eats itself during menopause is incorrect.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Nov. 2025
Near the end of the novel, David imagines Giovanni’s murder of Guillaume, extrapolating from the details breathlessly reported in the press.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
That figure is currently just above 50%, extrapolating from available data.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extrapolating
Verb
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Large language models represent the first technology capable of analyzing, contextualizing and deriving insights from this avalanche of information.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Resolve this by walking your own path (literally) and deriving support from people who are capable of caring about you.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The key to making the right decision is understanding all your options beforehand.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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His perspective positions the next wave of transformation not around deeper analysis, but around autonomous action, systems capable of understanding situations, deciding optimal responses, and executing those responses in real time.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As the 2026 midterms approach, affordability will again be the deciding issue among voters.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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Prior to that game-deciding drive, Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense needed to respond to the Eagles’ field goal that made the score read 19-17 on the Jumbotron at Lincoln Financial Field in favor of the home team.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extrapolating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extrapolating. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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