Is deduce formal or informal?

It is more formal than guess or infer, often used in academic and test writing.

What’s the difference between deduce, infer, and conclude?

Use deduce with evidence; use infer for hints; use conclude for the final decision.

Is deduce common in academic writing?

Yes, it is common in academic essays and exam tasks.

How do I use deduce in a sentence?

You deduce facts, causes, or meanings from information.

← Dictionary

deduce

/dɪˈdjuːs/

IELTSAcademic

verb

To reach a conclusion using evidence or reasoning, not by chance.

We can deduce the thief from the clues.
She deduced the answer from the data.

Adinary Nuance

Near neighbors: deduce is more evidence-driven and formal than guess or suspect; sharper than infer, which can be indirect; less final than conclude, which closes an argument. Choose deduce to stress logical reasoning.

In other languages

Spanish: deducir
Japanese: 推測する
Korean: 추론하다
Vietnamese: phán đoán
Chinese: 推断

Etymology

From Latin deducĕre ‘lead down’, via Old French; the logical sense emerged in the 16th century.

Common phrases

deduce the answerdeduce a conclusioncan deduce from this

Synonyms

conclude derive discover infer reason

Related words

conclude evidence guess infer logic

Frequently asked questions

Is deduce formal or informal?: It is more formal than guess or infer, often used in academic and test writing.
What’s the difference between deduce, infer, and conclude?: Use deduce with evidence; use infer for hints; use conclude for the final decision.
Is deduce common in academic writing?: Yes, it is common in academic essays and exam tasks.
How do I use deduce in a sentence?: You deduce facts, causes, or meanings from information.