Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

infer

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of infer

1 to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information
  • He inferred that she had left because her coat was gone.
Synonyms of infer

conclude, decide, deduce, derive, extrapolate, gather, judge, make out, reason, understand
Words Related to infer

assume, suppose

conjecture, guess, speculate, surmise

construe, interpret, read

contemplate, philosophize, rationalize, think

ascertain, dope (out), find out
Phrases Synonymous with infer

draw a conclusion
2 to convey an idea indirectly
  • The results infer that there might be a problem with one piece of the equipment.
Synonyms of infer

allude, hint, imply, indicate, insinuate, intimate, suggest
Words Related to infer

advert, mention, point, refer, signal, signalize, signify

smack (of), smell (of)
Near Antonyms of infer

announce, declare, proclaim

elucidate, explain, spell out

delineate, describe

Synonym Discussion of infer

infer, deduce, conclude, judge, gather 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
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
conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.
    • concluded that only the accused could be guilty
judge stresses a weighing of the evidence on which a conclusion is based.
    • judge people by their actions
gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.
    • gathered their desire to be alone without a word

Learn More about infer

  1. Dictionary: Definition of infer Spanish Central: Translation of infer Nglish: Translation of infer for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of infer for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up infer? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games