deduce

as in to derive
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information I can deduce from the simple observation of your behavior that you're trying to hide something from me

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word deduce distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of deduce are conclude, gather, infer, and judge. While all these words mean "to arrive at a mental conclusion," 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

Where would conclude be a reasonable alternative to deduce?

The words conclude and deduce can be used in similar contexts, but conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.

concluded that only the accused could be guilty

When can gather be used instead of deduce?

The words gather and deduce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.

gathered their desire to be alone without a word

When could infer be used to replace deduce?

While the synonyms infer and deduce are close in meaning, 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

When is judge a more appropriate choice than deduce?

While in some cases nearly identical to deduce, 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 deduce Congressional support for the latter without the former is understandably read as insincere—many might deduce that the government cares enough to make their data inaccessible to its geopolitical rival, but domestic firms can have at it. Johanna Costigan, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 Scientists can deduce a particle time period's temperature. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2025 In the finale, The Bride recognizes Clayface standing next to the princess on the security tape of the castle and deduces that Circe was right. Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 9 Jan. 2025 Manners deduced that Timken’s owner must have been a FEE supporter given his circulation of The Freeman. John Tamny, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deduce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deduce
Verb
  • Phytic acid gently refines skin texture, while vitis vinifera—derived from grapes—helps replenish moisture and smooth fine lines.
    Deanna Pai, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Air pollution derived from the huge amounts of energy needed to run data centers has been linked to treating cancers, asthma, and other related issues, according to research from UC Riverside and Caltech.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • But the players, at least, understood the importance of that moment, and not just everything that had come before.
    Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025
  • IndieWire understands that Italian real estate is already looking at these locations to potentially convert them in anticipation of the vote.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Not least of which, how exactly does best picture get decided?
    Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
  • At that time, with commercial fishing encroaching on their traditional livelihoods, most people in his town decided to take up piracy, Khamis asserted.
    Soham Mitra, Lou Robinson and Patrick Gallagher, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Engineers could also use the data to learn how a building behaves and changes over time, and infer how to construct better in the future.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Their findings led them to infer hydrogen is absorbing the X-ray photons in the far-off host galaxy.
    Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 10 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deduce. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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