THE WORDCRAFT DEFINITION DICTIONARY

infer

verb

To reach a conclusion from evidence or reasoning.

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A USEFUL DISTINCTION

Usage note

Inferring is reaching a conclusion from clues or evidence. Implying is suggesting a meaning indirectly.

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Examples in context

From the empty shelves, she could infer that the sale had been successful.
Dictionary practice example.
Rosa also collected quantitative information, including attendance counts and recorded waiting times. She could infer from the notes that some visitors valued personal introductions, but she could not infer everyone's preference from a few comments.
From Comparing Without Confusing.

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Related meanings

Related words can differ in tone and context; they are not always interchangeable.

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Comparing Without ConfusingReading 2 / Open lesson

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About this entry

This entry is part of the vocabulary collection supplied by GlobalRPh. Definitions are concise study meanings. Examples combine original teaching sentences with selected passages adapted from the supplied study notes; their source is labeled beside each example. A word may have additional specialized or historical senses.

Adapted from supplied vocabulary notes. Example written for WordCraft.

Source study sections: E, 4, 6, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18.

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