extrapolate

American  

[ik-strap-uh-leyt] / ɪkˈstræp əˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

• extrapolates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• extrapolated,
  past participle,  past
• extrapolating
  present participle

1. to infer (an unknown) from something that is known; conjecture.

2. Statistics. to estimate (the value of a variable) outside the tabulated or observed range.

3. Mathematics. to estimate (a function that is known over a range of values of its independent variable) to values outside the known range.

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verb (used without object)

• extrapolates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• extrapolated,
  past participle,  past
• extrapolating
  present participle

1. to perform extrapolation.

extrapolate British  

/ ɪkˈstræpəˌleɪt /

verb

1. maths to estimate (a value of a function or measurement) beyond the values already known, by the extension of a curve Compare interpolate

2. to infer (something not known) by using but not strictly deducing from the known facts

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extrapolate Scientific  

/ ĭk-străp′ə-lāt′ /

1. To estimate the value of a quantity that falls outside the range in which its values are known.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• extrapolation
  noun
• extrapolator
  noun
• overextrapolation
  noun
• extrapolative
  adjective
• extrapolatory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• extrapolating
  present
• extrapolated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• extrapolate
  simple
• extrapolates
  simple
• have extrapolated
  perfect
• has extrapolated
  perfect
• am extrapolating
  progressive
• are extrapolating
  progressive
• is extrapolating
  progressive
• have been extrapolating
  perfect progressive
• has been extrapolating
  perfect progressive

Past

• extrapolated
  simple
• had extrapolated
  perfect
• was extrapolating
  progressive
• were extrapolating
  progressive
• had been extrapolating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will extrapolate
  simple
• will have extrapolated
  perfect
• will be extrapolating
  progressive
• will have been extrapolating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of extrapolate

First recorded in 1825–35; extra- + (inter)polate

Explanation

When you extrapolate, you use specific details to make a general conclusion. For example, if you travel to Canada and encounter only friendly, kind natives, you might extrapolate that all Canadians are friendly. The verb extrapolate can mean "to predict future outcomes based on known facts." For example, looking at your current grade report for math and how you are doing in class now, you could extrapolate that you'll likely earn a solid B for the year. Another meaning of extrapolate is "estimate the value of." You could extrapolate how much your antique watch is worth by finding how much similar watches sold for at recent auctions.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extrapolate extrapolates extrapolated extrapolating

The West Coast appellate judges said it was “inappropriate” to extrapolate intent from one element of the crime, such as making a contract, to another, like the agreed-upon death.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

Mr Justice Nicklin started to ask what the best single piece of evidence for each article was, and Sherborne was forced to say: "We are asking your lordship to extrapolate."

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

“Even when we extrapolate the best-case scenario for chip production from our suppliers, it’s still not enough,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 8, 2025

You can’t just take an analysis of the past, no matter how careful it is, and assume you can extrapolate it into the future.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025

The names scratched into the posts no longer match the occupants, but I can extrapolate who’s who.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Ms. Snider’s libretto fictionalizes and extrapolates from the historical record.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026

Instead, he extrapolates non-human data to people, using in vitro studies, or in vivo studies on non-human animals, to make prescriptive recommendations for lifestyle changes.

From Slate ● Mar. 27, 2024

The U-M system takes GPS data from a percentage of vehicles on the road and extrapolates traffic patterns.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 20, 2024

Fermilab's particle accelerator fires protons and anti-protons into each other at near-light speed and closely observes the explosion of energetic particles resulting in the aftermath, then extrapolates their characteristics.

From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2022

It extrapolates from current events to remind us of the ever-growing threats to liberty.

From Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

By leveraging AI, economists will be able to replicate the complex economic system at a granular level rather than relying on population or cohort averages, or data extrapolated from smaller samples.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

The paradox arises only if we insist on describing horizons using a single, one-sided arrow of time extrapolated to infinity — an assumption quantum mechanics itself does not require.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026

The inspector general’s office based its findings on a review of a selective or “purposive” sampling of 40 nursing-home inspections and admits the findings can’t easily be extrapolated to all facilities.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 7, 2026

The findings were then extrapolated to produce annual estimates.

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

His head is full of statistics, facts and figures extrapolated into thousands of different combinations and comparisons.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

That’s as they worry “markets are extrapolating near-term trends — including profits fueled by the investment boom itself — too far into the future.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

No matter the reading, investors should be careful about extrapolating March’s trend into the coming months.

From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026

But extrapolating from executives' remarks during cuts is "possibly the worst way" to determine the effects of AI on jobs, said Martha Gimbel, executive director of the Budget Lab at Yale University.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025

Analysts calculate a $9.7 billion worst-case scenario, extrapolating the $20 million verdict to all 20,000 potential plaintiffs, based on historic average settlement rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

I was no longer extrapolating; I was looping it through the core, freely talking about my life, suddenly breaching the confidences of my father and my mother and my wife.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• deduce
• hypothesize