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
Trump may also be extrapolating from his first term, and especially his first impeachment, when people in the government blew the whistle on his attempts to blackmail Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden and his family.
—
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026
But Sean McCloud, chair of UNC Charlotte’s Religious Studies Department, cautions against extrapolating too much from a handful of dioceses and what’s on social media.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Size estimates were derived by extrapolating from beak measurements using modern octopus anatomy as a reference.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The researchers estimated their overall size by extrapolating from the size of the beak specimens.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
But extrapolating from one sector to the entire economy is a mistake.
—Omar Abbosh, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Consultants from both parties caution against extrapolating too much from special elections with limited turnout.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
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
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026
But Sean McCloud, chair of UNC Charlotte’s Religious Studies Department, cautions against extrapolating too much from a handful of dioceses and what’s on social media.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Size estimates were derived by extrapolating from beak measurements using modern octopus anatomy as a reference.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The researchers estimated their overall size by extrapolating from the size of the beak specimens.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
But extrapolating from one sector to the entire economy is a mistake.
—Omar Abbosh, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Consultants from both parties caution against extrapolating too much from special elections with limited turnout.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extrapolating
Verb
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Adoring the outcome means deriving joy from seeing the success of others.—
Chip Bell,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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But deriving a unified theory of volcanism will require a geologic Manhattan Project.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The lack of information generally is a big issue for blind travelers as well, along with airline and airport employees not understanding the rules that govern accommodations for blind passengers.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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For businesspeople, institutional investors, consumers with credit card or automobile debt, or anyone or anything else — for you — understanding the Fed is important.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Engineers still need to examine the bridge design, inspection history, traffic loads, weather, material condition and measurement uncertainty before deciding whether to repair, restrict traffic or close a bridge.—
Alex Krasnok,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
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The market was not suddenly deciding that Novo Nordisk was a bad business.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extrapolating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extrapolating. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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