Everyday · Commonly confused · Science & thinking
Infer: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Infer verb. To work something out from evidence or hints rather than being told it directly.
How to say it
in-FUR/ɪnˈfəː/
2 syllables, stressed on the second (FUR). Forms: inferred.
Infer in a sentence
From the muddy boots by the door, I inferred that the dog had been out.
We can infer from the figures that sales peak in spring.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- deduce
- conclude
- gather
- work out
Usage note
Infer is what a listener does with what a speaker implies. Using infer to mean imply is old and common, but careful writers still treat it as a mistake.
Don’t confuse with imply
imply (verb): To suggest something without saying it outright.
Where infer comes from
From Latin inferre, to bring in.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
We can _____ from the figures that sales peak in spring.
- infer
- elude
- mitigate
Show the answer
infer: We can infer from the figures that sales peak in spring.