easy
From the muddy boots, we inferred that someone had walked through the garden.
What does Infer mean?
Infer means use facts or clues to reach a conclusion that is not stated directly.
Dictionary definition
Infer means reach a conclusion by reasoning from facts, clues, or other evidence instead of being told the answer directly. In formal logic, a conclusion may be inferred from stated premises.
Example sentences
Infer in a sentence
easy
Readers can infer the character’s mood from her words and actions.
medium
Scientists infer past climates from evidence preserved in ice and sediment.
medium
Do not infer that the whole class agrees just because two students nodded.
hard
From the two premises, the students inferred a conclusion that had not been stated directly.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice infer in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Commonly confused words
Imply or infer?
Compare the meanings, then choose a word for each new sentence.
Imply
To communicate indirectly or make a result likely or necessary.
In a sentence The dark clouds imply that rain may be coming.
Infer
To reach a conclusion from facts or clues.
In a sentence We inferred from the dark clouds that rain was coming.
Spot the difference Imply describes putting or carrying a suggestion in a message, action, or fact. Infer describes drawing a conclusion from that evidence.
Which word fits?
Choose imply or infer for each blank. Say your answer, then check why it fits.
1Her pause seemed to ___ that she was uncertain.
Check answer 1
imply — The pause carries an indirect suggestion.
2From her pause, we can ___ that she may be uncertain.
Check answer 2
infer — We draw a conclusion from the pause as evidence.
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Practice the meaning of Infer
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does infer mean?
An inference connects evidence to a conclusion that was not stated directly.
Practice 2
Which sentence shows a supported inference?
The conclusion is based on two observable clues.
Practice 3
What is the clearest standard distinction between infer and imply?
Infer describes drawing the conclusion; imply describes supplying or containing the suggestion.
Practice complete
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Infer
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Sounds like
in · fur · strongest beat: fur
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordInfer.
Partverb.
MeaningInfer means use facts or clues to reach a conclusion that is not stated directly.
ExampleExample: From the muddy boots, we inferred that someone had walked through the garden.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- in · fur
- Strongest beat
- fur
- Ending
- fur
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on fur.
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Synonyms
Words like Infer
Antonym review
Does Infer have an opposite?
Infer describes reaching a conclusion from evidence and has no single precise opposite. Guess may lack enough evidence, and state directly removes the need for inference, but neither is a general antonym.
Synonym practice
Want to practice infer synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "We can infer the answer from the clue," then compare close word choices. Practice infer synonyms.
Word family
Infer word family
Base word
infer
verb
inferred
Past-tense and past-participle form; the final r is doubled.
verb
inferring
The -ing form of infer; the final r is doubled.
noun
inference
A conclusion reached from facts, clues, or reasoning.
adjective
inferential
Based on or involving inference rather than direct statement.
adjective
inferable
Able to be inferred from evidence; inferrable is also used.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Infer
Hint for students
Separate what you can observe from what you conclude, then ask whether the evidence really supports that conclusion.
Common mix-up
In careful standard English, infer describes drawing a conclusion, while imply describes communicating or containing a suggestion. Some dictionaries record infer for imply in informal usage, but many readers still avoid it.
Try it in class or at home
Show students three clues about a mystery object. They record one inference, cite the clue that supports it, name one different conclusion the evidence could allow, and then write what the clues imply without overstating certainty.
Teacher prompt
In “The sidewalk is wet, so Ava inferred that it rained,” what is the clue and what is the conclusion? Rewrite the idea so that the sidewalk implies rain.
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