What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
infers
Example
From his tone of voice, I inferred that he was angry. [inferred: past tense verb]
Example
Based on the evidence, we can infer that the suspect was at the scene of the crime. [infer: present tense verb]
deduce
Example
From the evidence presented, we can deduce that the victim was killed by a sharp object. [deduce: present tense verb]
Example
I deduced from the context that the word 'sanguine' meant optimistic. [deduced: past tense verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Infer is more commonly used than deduce in everyday language. Infer is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while deduce is more commonly used in academic or technical writing.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between infers and deduce?
Deduce is generally considered more formal than infer, as it is often used in academic or technical contexts where precision and accuracy are important.
