deduce

verb

de·​duce di-ˈdüs How to pronounce deduce (audio)
dē-;
 chiefly British  -ˈdyüs
deduced; deducing
Synonyms of deducenext

transitive verb

1
: to determine by reasoning or deduction
deduce the age of ancient artifacts
She deduced, from the fur stuck to his clothes, that he owned a cat.
specifically, philosophy : to infer (see infer sense 1) from a general principle
2
: to trace the course of
deduce their lineage
deducible
di-ˈd(y)ü-sə-bəl How to pronounce deduce (audio)
dē-
adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between deduction and induction?

Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is making an inference based on widely accepted facts or premises. If a beverage is defined as "drinkable through a straw," one could use deduction to determine soup to be a beverage. Inductive reasoning, or induction, is making an inference based on an observation, often of a sample. You can induce that the soup is tasty if you observe all of your friends consuming it. Read more on the difference between deduction and induction

What is the difference between abduction and deduction?

Abductive reasoning, or abduction, is making a probable conclusion from what you know. If you see an abandoned bowl of hot soup on the table, you can use abduction to conclude the owner of the soup is likely returning soon. Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is making an inference based on widely accepted facts or premises. If a meal is described as "eaten with a fork" you may use deduction to determine that it is solid food, rather than, say, a bowl of soup.

What is the difference between deduction and adduction?

Adduction is "the action of drawing (something, such as a limb) toward or past the median axis of the body," and "the bringing together of similar parts." Deduction may be "an act of taking away," or "something that is subtracted." Both words may be traced in part to the Latin dūcere, meaning "to lead."

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for deduce

infer, deduce, conclude, judge, gather mean to arrive at a mental conclusion.

infer implies arriving at a conclusion by reasoning from evidence; if the evidence is slight, the term comes close to surmise.

from that remark, I inferred that they knew each other

deduce often adds to infer the special implication of drawing a particular inference from a generalization.

denied we could deduce anything important from human mortality

conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.

concluded that only the accused could be guilty

judge stresses a weighing of the evidence on which a conclusion is based.

judge people by their actions

gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.

gathered their desire to be alone without a word

Examples of deduce in a Sentence

I can deduce from the simple observation of your behavior that you're trying to hide something from me.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Rio immediately identifies this to be Agatha’s trial, deducing that her worst nightmare — apart from having to embody this preppy ’80s aesthetic — would be facing up to any of the many deaths she’s caused over the centuries. —Caroline Framke, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024 The hypothesized hand is deduced from betting patterns of the opponents, which include bluffs. —Jim Euchner, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Documents say law enforcement deduced the plate had been stolen to conceal the driver’s identity. —Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024 Just as physicists deduced the existence of subatomic particles from the movements of visible matter, San hunters reconstructed the behaviors of invisible animals from tracks. —Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deduce 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin deducere, literally, to lead away, from de- + ducere to lead — more at tow entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deduce was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near deduce

de dolo

deduce

deducement

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Deduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deduce. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

deduce

verb
de·​duce di-ˈd(y)üs How to pronounce deduce (audio)
deduced; deducing
1
a
: to draw a conclusion about particular facts or examples by applying them to a general rule or principle
b
: to determine by reasoning from a general rule or principle
2
: to trace the course or origin of
deducible
-ˈd(y)ü-sə-bəl How to pronounce deduce (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on deduce

Nglish: Translation of deduce for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of deduce for Arabic Speakers

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