Meaning & use
infer
Last updated
UK/ɪnˈfɜː/
US/ɪnˈfɝː/
Meaning
verbtransitiveformal
To reach a conclusion from clues and reasoning rather than being told directly.
Grammar: infer something from something.
Patterns
- infer something from something
- infer that
We can infer from the footprints that someone was here.
I inferred she was upset from her tone.
Readers infer meaning from context.
Word forms
| third person singular | infers |
|---|---|
| past tense | inferred |
| past participle | inferred |
| -ing form | inferring |
Common combinations
- infer from
- Infer a pattern from data.
- infer that
- I infer that you're tired.
- safe to infer
- It's safe to infer she agrees.
- infer meaning
- Infer meaning from context.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deduce
- Reach a firm conclusion by logic.
- conclude
- Decide after thinking.
- gather
- Informal, understand from clues.
- surmise
- Guess with some evidence.
Opposites
Word family
- inference noun
- a conclusion from evidence
- inferential adjective
- based on inference
Commonly confused: infer or imply?
infer vs imply
The speaker implies; the listener infers.
Practice
From her tired face, I ___ that she hadn't slept.
Choose one answer.
The listener infers; the speaker implies.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “infer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.