inductive

American  

[in-duhk-tiv] / ɪnˈdʌk tɪv /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving electrical induction or magnetic induction.

2. operating by induction.

   an inductive machine.

3. of, relating to, or employing logical induction.

   inductive reasoning.

4. Embryology. eliciting the action of an embryonic inducer.

5. serving to induce; leading or influencing (usually followed byto ).

6. introductory.

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inductive British  

/ ɪnˈdʌktɪv /

adjective

1. relating to, involving, or operated by electrical or magnetic induction

   an inductive reactance

2. logic maths of, relating to, or using induction

   inductive reasoning

3. serving to induce or cause

4. a rare word for introductory

5. biology producing a reaction within an organism, esp induction in embryonic tissue

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Usage

What does inductive mean? Inductive is most often used to describe a kind of reasoning or logic where general theories are formed from specific examples or incidents. Inductive is an adjective form of the verb induct, meaning to bring about or bring in. Simply put, inductive reasoning involves using specific observations, evidence, or patterns to make a broad conclusion. You first collect evidence or make observations and then form an answer or theory based on what you have found. Your answer can be likely, or probable, but you can’t know if it’s true without further observations. For example, after witnessing something happen at the same time every day for a year, you could use inductive reasoning to conclude that it is very likely that it will happen at the same time tomorrow. However, inductive reasoning can often lead to wrong or illogical conclusions, even if all of the evidence is true. For example, if all the red-haired people you’ve ever met are left-handed, you might incorrectly use inductive reasoning to conclude that all red-haired people are left-handed. Inductive reasoning is the opposite of deductive reasoning, which uses general, true information to reach specific conclusions: Dogs are mammals. Pluto is a dog. Pluto is a mammal. Inductive is also used to describe the scientific processes of electric and magnetic induction or things that function based on them. Inductive is also used as a synonym for the word introductory. Example: When police use fingerprints as evidence of a crime, they are using inductive reasoning to conclude who the likely criminal is.

Commonly Confused

See deductive.

Other Word Forms

• anti-inductive adjective
• anti-inductively adverb
• anti-inductiveness noun
• inductively adverb
• inductiveness noun
• preinductive adjective
• semi-inductive adjective
• uninductive adjective

Etymology

Origin of inductive

From the Late Latin word inductīvus, dating back to 1600–10. See induct, -ive

Explanation

Inductive is a way to describe something that leads to something else, so when applied to reasoning it just means you collect information and draw conclusions from what you observe. Logical types may already be familiar with the word inductive as it relates to reasoning. Inductive reasoning is a way to make sense of things by making specific observations and then drawing broad conclusions based on those observations. For example, if you break out in hives every time you eat something with buckwheat flour but you’re fine eating other types of flour, you might use inductive reasoning to conclude you get hives from the buckwheat flour.

Example Sentences

Computers cannot do inductive reasoning or make long-range plans.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 6, 2026

The plan is to install inductive charging coils underground along Charles E. Young Drive between the Westwood Plaza intersection and Murphy Hall.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2024

In order to achieve such levels of accuracy, current testing requires a device called an inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometer.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2024

The SAE is also developing technical guidelines for what’s known as “dynamic inductive charging” — i.e. charging without a plug when a vehicle is in motion.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 26, 2024

About the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning and how Sir Francis Bacon of the peculiar name got it right.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Related Words

• exploratory
• preparatory
• prior