SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS

extrapolate

verb

To estimate beyond known observations by extending a pattern or relationship.

Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.

Extend beyond observed data

Closest synonyms

Related words and expressions

These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.

Usage distinction

Extrapolation extends beyond observed values. Interpolation estimates within their range and is not interchangeable.

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Test this word in the Comprehensive Synonym Exam

CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT

See extrapolate in use

The analyst was cautious about trying to extrapolate from such a short record.
Dictionary practice example.
A library group considered a hypothetical plan to extend a small reading event into a full weekend program. Their attendance forecast was conjectural because it rested on only two earlier evenings and several untested assumptions about interest. One member wanted to extrapolate a weekend total from the average turnout at those evenings.
From A Pattern Is a Starting Point.

Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.

Synonym reference scope and sources

The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.

How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license

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