inferences

plural of inference
as in deductions
an opinion arrived at through a process of reasoning that seems like a reasonable inference, but in this case it happens to be incorrect

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inferences La Liga is yet to release distribution amounts for 2025-26 but, based on previous seasons and inferences which can be drawn from Barca’s latest figures, the amount the club must hand over to Sixth Street is in the region of €40million per year. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Stevens allowed the case to proceed, noting there were multiple inferences to draw from the evidence and that one interpretation implicated Perillo. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026 Every industry needs people who can look at data, draw inferences from it, and act upon it. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 Told in alternating POVs between a sorceress, a woman knight and a serving girl, this is a fever dream of a fantasy novel with plenty of room for readers to make their own inferences about what’s really going on. — S.m. Hallow, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 By holding an entire operational system in view in real time, an AI model can make inferences that human operators could easily miss. — William Bain, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 However, rocket watchers have made a few inferences from the limited available information. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026 Wolf, with the Birmingham-Bloomfield Democrats, says he is not convinced the nation can draw inferences from what happens in Michigan. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 Because of the randomness of some of these things and complexities like deletions, many of the individual inferences about history will be wrong. — ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferences
Noun
  • According to its June 30, 2026 petition, the IRS disallowed several million dollars in business deductions.
    — Carolyn Schenck, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Investors tend to be OK with only a percentage of investment returned in the form of a tax credit and deductions and losses claimed on tax returns.
    — Kim Jackson, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Much of its work, particularly on national security matters, remains shielded from public view, but some of the office’s conclusions have emerged in often dense legal opinions.
    — Perry Stein, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Given the inherent volatility and randomness of postseason baseball, trying to draw permanent or predictive conclusions from small sample size outcomes is ultimately pointless.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Although a United Nations panel investigating the Myanmar military referred to genocidal intent, the United Nations does not make official determinations of genocide.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The government expects states to rely increasingly on third-party data — on things such as workers’ compensation claims or prescription information — to help make determinations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The consequences of these choices for American industry, workers, and labor market will be much larger than the – also important – pathways for entry level college graduates.
    — Byron Auguste, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Inclusion on the list could also presage a Section 301 investigation that could lead to legal consequences or restrictive import controls on the devices.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Called Motor Decide, the tool is designed to help industries evaluate electric motor technologies and make informed decisions under uncertain market conditions.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The measure works largely by imposing deadlines on state agencies and courts to issue decisions quickly.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • After all, states like Georgia and Arizona were also once solidly red until break-out candidates—backed by party spending—upended those assumptions.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Given Abbey’s anxieties about spending money and fear of not having enough, Stacy plans to use very conservative assumptions for inflation, health costs and average returns when making her projections based on Abbey’s savings today.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inferences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferences. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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