extrapolate

verb

ex·​trap·​o·​late ik-ˈstra-pə-ˌlāt 

extrapolated; extrapolating

transitive verb

1

a

: to predict by projecting past experience or known data

extrapolate public sentiment on one issue from known public reaction on others

b

: to project, extend, or expand (known data or experience) into an area not known or experienced so as to arrive at a usually conjectural knowledge of the unknown area

extrapolates present trends to construct an image of the future

2

: to infer (values of a variable in an unobserved interval) from values within an already observed interval

intransitive verb

: to perform the act or process of extrapolating

extrapolation

ik-ˌstra-pə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

extrapolative

ik-ˈstra-pə-ˌlā-tiv 

adjective

extrapolator

ik-ˈstra-pə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

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The Many Uses of Extrapolate

Scientists worry about the greenhouse effect because they have extrapolated the rate of carbon-dioxide buildup and predicted that its effect on the atmosphere will become increasingly severe. On the basis of their extrapolations, they have urged governments and businesses to limit factory and automobile emissions. Notice that it's acceptable to speak of extrapolating existing data (to produce new data), extrapolating from existing data (to produce new data), or extrapolating new data (from existing data)—in other words, it isn't easy to use this word wrong.

Synonyms

• conclude
• decide
• deduce
• derive
• gather
• infer
• judge
• make out
• reason
• understand

Examples of extrapolate in a Sentence

We can extrapolate the number of new students entering next year by looking at how many entered in previous years.

With such a small study it is impossible to extrapolate accurately.

Recent Examples on the Web

If extrapolated out to the entire season, that would be the fifth-best target rate, third-best yards per route run and third-best yards per target as well. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

Although Netflix’s recent performance has been strong, markets tend to be short-sighted, extrapolating short-term successes for the long run. —Trefis Team, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Just as Trump’s many serious flaws have been exaggerated into cliché — Trump is not Hitler, and does not come close to being so — so his opponents’ virtues have been extrapolated into ... —Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 2 Dec. 2024

From the same bone analyses, the researchers extrapolated that mammoth meat made up 40 percent of the mother’s diet. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin extra outside + English -polate (as in interpolate) — more at extra-

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids Definition

extrapolate

verb

ex·​trap·​o·​late ik-ˈstrap-ə-ˌlāt 

extrapolated; extrapolating

: to work out unknown facts from known facts

extrapolation

-ˌstrap-ə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

extrapolator

-ˈstrap-ə-ˌlāt-ər 

noun