as in deduction
an opinion arrived at through a process of reasoning
that seems like a reasonable inference, but in this case it happens to be incorrect
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 inference
This is not speculation or inference.
—
Phillip Atiba Solomon, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Kids ages 5-12 can handle replica artifacts, such as an abacus, armor and lyre, and learn how professional archeologists make inferences.
—Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Gross margin slid from roughly 92% earlier this year to 86% in Q4, with the shrink attributed to the cost of running AI inference at scale.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
Quantitative disciplines such as biostatistics, epidemiology, and data science, together with the practical disciplines of clinical trials and outcomes research, enable much more reliable inference about cause and effect.
—Robert M. Califf, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inference
Phillip Atiba Solomon, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Kids ages 5-12 can handle replica artifacts, such as an abacus, armor and lyre, and learn how professional archeologists make inferences.
—Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Gross margin slid from roughly 92% earlier this year to 86% in Q4, with the shrink attributed to the cost of running AI inference at scale.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
Quantitative disciplines such as biostatistics, epidemiology, and data science, together with the practical disciplines of clinical trials and outcomes research, enable much more reliable inference about cause and effect.
—Robert M. Califf, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inference
Noun
-
Single filers and heads of household over 65 get an additional $2,000 deduction, plus an additional $1,600 for married filing jointly with both filers over age 65.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
While the deduction was limited to $10,000 under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act has now raised the cap through 2029.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The shooting-range event came after the conclusion of a congress of the Korean Workers’ Party, a largely rubber-stamp political gathering of the nation’s elite, where Kim’s leadership was reaffirmed by unanimous vote.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
-
In the same disclaimer, TechInsights notes that its inferences and conclusions are not final regulatory decisions.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Her determination and bravery are a source of inspiration to the young girls who admire her courage, daring to dream of a life free of violence and full of happiness.—
Davi Merchan,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2026
-
My reaction was silence and determination to make sure common sense prevailed to make sure her senior son, Jake, a top pitcher who transferred from Palm Desert to Rancho Christian, had this continuing stress resolved after an already awful ordeal engulfed him and his parents for months.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inference. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
