The Meaning of Extrapolate: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of extrapolate? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word extrapolate, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word extrapolate mean?

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language and Collins English Dictionary, the word extrapolate is a verb that means to infer by using, but not strictly deducing from, different facts in order to gain knowledge. Extrapolate is four syllables – ex-trap-o-late, and the pronunciation of extrapolate is  ə-lāt. One can add the suffixes ing, tor, tive, ed and tion to the word extrapolate to form different word forms, tenses like the present participle, past participle, and parts of speech with the related words extrapolated, extrapolating, extrapolator, extrapolative, and extrapolation. 

In mathematics, the word extrapolate (ɪkˈstræpəleɪt) can mean to infer the values of a variable in an unobserved interval, usually from the value of a function within an already observed interval or known range. These can use various scale factors, complex curves, laboratory studies  or obscure bits of intelligence, results of a retrospective analysis and more to find meaningful value, cost data, and other results you may get from testing programmes in a lab. Someone could extrapolate the effect the Supercontinental Cycle back into the Precambrian, or colleagues could extrapolate cost to a 200 megawatt plant from a 100 megawatt plant using scale factors.These are just example illustrations of the extrapolation problem using red data points, gross sales figures, or medical advances. Sometimes this can be part of their job, to make sound policymaking using laboratory studies or basic numbers, not dubious principles. Someone like an English mathematician could use a parametric trend curve or other early references to find the average value of life expectancy and observed variation of human cancers and the morphogenetic movements of human organs.

There are many languages that also contain words that mean extrapolate. You may notice that some of these translations of extrapolate from Word Sense look and sound similar to the word extrapolate. These are called cognates. Cognates are often formed when two words in different languages have the same root or language of origin. 

  •  Spanish: extrapolar‎
  •  Tagalog: iduklay‎
  •  Irish: eachtarshuigh‎
  •  Finnish: yleistää‎
  •  German: extrapolieren‎
  •  Romanian: extrapola‎
  •  Italian: estrapolare‎
  •  Hungarian: extrapolál‎
  •  Russian: экстраполи́ровать‎ (impf) (pf)
  •  French: extrapoler‎
  •  Danish: ekstrapolere‎
  •  Swedish: extrapolera‎
  •  Czech: extrapolovat‎
  •  Serbo-Croatian: ekstrapolírati‎
  •  Catalan: extrapolar‎

How can the word extrapolate be used in a sentence?

The word extrapolate can be used in many different ways in the English language. Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definitions. You can also try making flashcards or a quiz in order to test your knowledge of the definitions of different English words. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today! Below are several examples to get you started.

Jamison Cochrane extrapolated that the carbon-dioxide buildup in the control-room port was also happening to the rest of the state. Europe was under the attack of possible terrorist strategies using CO2 emissions at vital rates and there were numerous threat briefings underway.

Davies Hoskins extrapolates upon his compelling family saga with a vibrant backdrop of a location in the film-clips. This shows dramatic improvement and a fascinating future of the world of the story.

The current events holiday shoppers are facing are extrapolations from specific cases that show the shortcoming of the interior reconstruction problem in the county mall.

Franchisors are extrapolating on the results of a retrospective analysis on Britain’s house price inflation. They hope to provide recommendations for better lifestyles and to intercept the number of new homes with future problems, increasing their success from previous attempts.

Princeton University extrapolates the basis of its relationship from meaningless results, only bringing greater uncertainty to the public.

Helen Worsley used a certain method and type of estimation for her computational model that used past trends to create forecasts for what would pose a higher risk to the human experience. She tried not to let her own feelings sway the results of the short trial.

What are synonyms and antonyms of extrapolate?

There are many different words that one can use in place of the word extrapolate. These are considered synonyms, which are words that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Synonyms are useful to know if you are trying to avoid repeating yourself or if you are looking to expand your vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the word extrapolate is provided by Power Thesaurus

  •  figure out
  •  generalizes
  •  guess
  •  judge
  •  generalizing
  •  collect
  •  vulgarise
  •  figure
  •  inferring
  •  generalize
  •  interpolate
  •  gather
  •  generalised
  •  infers
  •  think
  •  generalized
  •  surmise
  •  universalize
  •  concludes
  •  conclude
  •  extrapolation
  •  popularize
  •  inferred
  •  suppose
  •  reckon
  •  overgeneralise
  •  concluded
  •  decide
  •  assume
  •  glean
  •  interpolating
  •  predict
  •  presume
  •  derive
  •  universalise
  •  infer
  •  believe
  •  extrapolating
  •  interpret
  •  interpolated
  •  dare say
  •  understand
  •  estimate
  •  project
  •  concluding
  •  divine
  •  generalise
  •  conjecture
  •  reason
  •  deduce

There are also many different words that have the opposite meaning as the word extrapolate. These opposite words are considered antonyms. Antonyms are also very useful to know if you want to expand your vocabulary and knowledge of the English language. This list of antonyms for the word extrapolate is also provided by Power Thesaurus. 

  •  overlook
  •  look away
  •  certainty
  •  lose hope
  •  forget
  •  dismiss
  •  miss
  •  confuse
  •  know
  •  disbelieve
  •  truth
  •  proof
  •  intercede
  •  doubt
  •  reject
  •  ignore
  •  abandon hope
  •  fact
  •  decline
  •  misunderstand
  •  neglect
  •  disregard
  •  challenge
  •  discard
  •  cast doubt on
  •  number

Overall, the word extrapolate (ɪkˈstræpəˌleɪt) means to infer or deduce from facts. This can also mean to infer the estimated value of a quantity having prior knowledge of the unknown based on current trends, extension of a curve, mean extension of a method from the original observation range, drop of an equation, or similar methods.

Sources:

  1. Extrapolate synonyms – 163 Words and Phrases for Extrapolate | Power Thesaurus 
  2. Extrapolate antonyms – 26 Opposites of Extrapolate | Power Thesaurus 
  3. Extrapolate definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary 
  4. extrapolate: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense