deduce
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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(may take a clause as object) to reach (a conclusion about something) by reasoning; conclude (that); infer
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archaic to trace the origin, course, or derivation of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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deducibleadjective
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subdeducibleadjective
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deduciblenessnoun
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deducibilitynoun
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undeducibleadjective
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deduciblyadverb
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undeducedadjective
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nondeducibleadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have deducedperfect
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has deducedperfect 3rd person singular
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are deducingprogressive
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am deducingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been deducingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been deducingperfect progressive
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is deducingprogressive 3rd person singular
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deducingparticiple
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deducessingular 3rd person
Past
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had deducedperfect
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were deducingprogressive plural
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was deducingprogressive singular
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had been deducingperfect progressive
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deducedparticiple
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deducedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of deduce
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin dēdūcere “to lead down, derive,” from dē- de- + dūcere “to lead”
Explanation
To deduce is to figure something out based on what you already know. When you see a person crying, it's easy to deduce that the person is sad. Unless they're happy, of course. Sometimes happy people cry. Derived from the Latin ducere, meaning "to lead," a person who deduces something is "leading" their mind from one idea to the next. Deduction is a noun from the verb deduce: it's what we call something that we learn when we deduce. Sherlock Holmes, the famous investigator created by Arthur Conan Doyle, was a master of deduction. He could deduce from a few small clues all of the facts of a murder case.
Vocabulary lists containing deduce
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Lead the Way: Duc and Duct
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Don’t waste one brain cell trying to deduce the assassin.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
This gives scientists a brief chance to measure how the more stable elements decay, then deduce the properties of the original particle.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
As one might deduce, “Young Sherlock” is fun enough, though for reasons visual rather than strictly narrative.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
Rationalists—like lawyers relying on “common sense” reasoning—believe we can deduce truth from first principles.
From Slate • Sep. 26, 2025
“Well, they try to deduce all of mathematics from simple logical principles and show that mathematics is really based on logic. It’s pretty complicated stuff. But I enjoy it.”
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
