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

Until such tests are completed, investigators won’t be able to infer the source of the explosion based only on the size of the blast crater. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025

Thermal asymmetry in the Moon's mantle inferred from monthly tidal response. —Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025

So don’t tell me there are only eight teams better than Miami, as Spoelstra inferred. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2025

Range contraction of the Yangtze finless porpoise inferred from classic Chinese poems A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. —Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 5 May 2025