interpolate

American  

[in-tur-puh-layt] / ɪnˈtɜr pəˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

• interpolates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• interpolated,
  past participle,  past
• interpolating
  present participle

1. to introduce (something additional or extraneous) between other things or parts; interject; interpose; intercalate.

2. Mathematics. to insert, estimate, or find an intermediate term in (a sequence).

3. to alter (a text) by the insertion of new matter, especially deceptively or without authorization.

4. to insert (new or spurious matter) in this manner.

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verb (used without object)

• interpolates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• interpolated,
  past participle,  past
• interpolating
  present participle

1. to make an interpolation.

interpolate British  

/ ɪnˈtɜːpəˌleɪt /

verb

1. to insert or introduce (a comment, passage, etc) into (a conversation, text, etc)

2. to falsify or alter (a text, manuscript, etc) by the later addition of (material, esp spurious or valueless passages)

3. (intr) to make additions, interruptions, or insertions

4. maths to estimate (a value of a function) between the values already known or determined Compare extrapolate

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interpolater
  noun
• interpolator
  noun
• interpolable
  adjective
• interpolative
  adjective
• interpolatory
  adjective
• noninterpolating
  adjective
• noninterpolative
  adjective
• uninterpolated
  adjective
• uninterpolative
  adjective
• interpolatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• interpolating
  present
• interpolated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• interpolate
  simple
• interpolates
  simple
• have interpolated
  perfect
• has interpolated
  perfect
• am interpolating
  progressive
• are interpolating
  progressive
• is interpolating
  progressive
• have been interpolating
  perfect progressive
• has been interpolating
  perfect progressive

Past

• interpolated
  simple
• had interpolated
  perfect
• was interpolating
  progressive
• were interpolating
  progressive
• had been interpolating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will interpolate
  simple
• will have interpolated
  perfect
• will be interpolating
  progressive
• will have been interpolating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of interpolate

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin interpolātus, past participle of interpolāre “to make new, refurbish, touch up,” equivalent to inter- “between, among, together” + -polā- verb stem (akin to polīre “to polish”) + -tus past participle suffix; see inter-, polish

Explanation

When you interpolate words into a text, you alter the text by adding words in. If you’re describing your favorite novelist's work, you might interpolate a few examples of her writing into your description. If you constantly interpolate your own snide comments into your sister's play-by-play account of an important basketball game, don't be surprised if she asks you to knock it off. In math, to interpolate means to estimate the value of something given certain data. If you’re looking at a chart that gives the level of pollutants in a lake on January 1st and February 1st, you must interpolate the level for January 15th.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interpolate interpolates interpolated interpolating

To get around that issue, the BEA said that it will average September and November numbers to interpolate the October missing data.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026

A NeRF encodes the geometry of a scene into the weights of a neural network, which gives the model a strong ability to interpolate, or estimate, novel views of a scene.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2024

“Her outstanding skill is an ability to interpolate amusing, semi-improvised commentary within songs, in a variety of musical styles, that turns them into personal testimony,” he wrote in 1987.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2024

As Swain explained, “we don’t have thermometers covering every square inch of the Earth,” so scientific groups use computer models to interpolate between data points, generating what is called a reanalysis.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 11, 2023

They sought to interpolate resolutions expressing the original justice of the war.

From Lincoln, the Politician by T. Aaron Levy

A song which interpolates a George Michael song was welcomed by the singer's estate, who said they were "delighted" when Swift approached them about including it on Father Figure.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2025

Travitz appreciates that the band covers songs and interpolates snippets of others into its tunes.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 6, 2023

“At the time, I was loving Wu-Tang, that Ol’ Dirty Bastard song,” said Keys, referring “Brooklyn Zoo” by Ol’ Dirty Bastard, which she interpolates on “Girlfriend.”

From Washington Times ● Mar. 30, 2020

And any record nerd has to smile at “Everything He Needs,” which interpolates the chorus of one of Harry Nilsson’s tunes for Olive Oyl from Robert Altman’s 1980 “Popeye” movie.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2019

Here Father Petitot interpolates, "Ah! if she had only read Dante!"

From The New North by Agnes Deans Cameron

Note: Tracks for ships that lose signals are interpolated and may appear over land.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

Last year the Yeah Yeah Yeahs interpolated a bit of “Beggin’” for a cut from their latest album.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2023

It was “Rapper’s Delight,” which interpolated Chic’s hit “Good Times.”

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 7, 2023

You can call this thing a memoir — she spoke it, in 1986, to Kurt Loder, who interpolated it as literature.

From New York Times ● May 25, 2023

"I am trying to find your husband; I have his permission," I interpolated as I saw her pleasant, open countenance close upon me.

From A Woman of Genius by Mary Hunter Austin

Set to a throbbing synth bassline, the song teases fans by interpolating a line from her 1980s classic Into The Groove: "Out here on the dance floor, I feel so free."

From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026

“Old Dog” is a tribute to Mr. Cole’s home state, featuring rapper Petey Pablo interpolating his 2001 North Carolina anthem “Raise Up.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

Online, he has a reputation for interpolating corporate PR with nerdy puns and — in his words — “dank” memes.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2023

BRELAND’s debut full-length album “Cross Country” builds on that history, interpolating and sampling older songs and bringing in his background in gospel, R&B and hip-hop under the expansive umbrella of country music.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 13, 2022

The description of the sacrifice is somewhat artificial, and concerns itself with rites and ceremonious details and gifts to Brahmans, and altogether bears unmistakable evidence of the interpolating hand of later priestly writers.

From Maha-bharata The Epic of Ancient India Condensed into English Verse by Romesh Dutt