infer

verb

in-ˈfər How to pronounce infer (audio)
Definition of infernext
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

Relevance
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 infer The models correctly inferred that the answer to the evaluation was available on Hugging Face, a digital library of AI models and software, and broke into the company's systems. — Huo Jingnan, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 By measuring those delays in a browser, the FROST researchers showed that a website could, under specific conditions, infer information about other activity on the same computer, such as websites visited or applications used. — Chetan Jaiswal, The Conversation, 30 July 2026 Those older predictions were not purely based on theory; they were also inferred from other experiments. — Matt Von Hippel, Quanta Magazine, 29 July 2026 Now the flex of having attended one of the listening parties in 25 cities across the globe can only be inferred from checking the date someone logged. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for infer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infer
  1. derive
  2. indicate
  3. understand
  4. imply
  5. decide
  6. suggest
  7. hint
Verb
  • Which is how Frankie and Molly find themselves in possession of some seriously heady psychedelics derived from deep sea squid testes.
    — Katie Walsh, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • On his 2017 tax return, Krneta reported $321,000 in net income, even though his total income, which included about $4,000 derived from criminal activity, exceeded $400,000, the plea stated.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of derive
Verb
  • Tests between -112°F and 68°F showed no exothermic peaks associated with water crystallization, indicating that ice formation was suppressed in the hydrogel.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Research indicates one in-person meeting can deliver the impact of three virtual ones, with many finding the commercial return outweighs travel costs.
    — Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of indicate
Verb
  • The team says understanding why the impurities do not prevent the formation of high-quality pyrite could help guide the development of similar materials from abundant resources.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Rosenwald understood that people who command such great resources also have a responsibility to use these resources to help others.
    — Harold Pollack, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • That is a fairly hot SPAC, implying a value for Agility somewhere near $4 billion.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This implies considerable factional infighting at the top, along with collective insecurity.
    — Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of imply
Verb
  • That trial is scheduled to begin next month, but could be pushed back or canceled altogether depending on what the judge decides.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has not decided whether to resume negotiations with the US.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of decide
Verb
  • Only Faal, currently out on loan at Port Vale of League Two, among Wrexham’s six deadline-day signings in the past three summer windows can be said not to have worked out, suggesting patience is usually rewarded at this time of year.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • After the notice of rescission was sent, Teefey allegedly contacted Bespoke’s representatives suggesting that investors should not file a suit claiming the company had an escrow account to return the investments, this week’s lawsuit says.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggest
Verb
  • Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that this could be his last year playing professional soccer, after what’s been a record-breaking career.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Spencer hinted that her next installment of the Lost Women series might look at Hollywood.
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of hint

Browse Nearby Words

infelicity
infer
inferable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infer. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of infer for Spanish Speakers

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