interpolate

American  

[in-tur-puh-leyt] / 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

I have no idea, but when somebody wants to interpolate or whatever it’s called, I never object because I always learn something about the song that I hadn’t known or anticipated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 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

Zhang said that one of the hallmarks of the study is the optimization process that helps the researchers interpolate the distribution and geometries of the two different polymer materials needed.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2023

Ringrose was not in England when his Narrative was published; and advantage was taken of his absence, to interpolate in it some impudent passages in commendation of Sharp's, valour.

From History of the Buccaneers of America by Burney, James

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

Beyoncé interpolates a bit of “Good Vibrations” on her hit “Cowboy Carter” album, while Lana Del Rey turned up with the band at last month’s Stagecoach country music festival in Indio.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2024

He says that when he dropped the fiery “Dientes” in September, the ‘00s club-inspired Latino urbano track which interpolates Usher’s “Yeah!,” his fans were expecting reggaeton - his “original sound,” as he puts it.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 7, 2023

He says that when he dropped the fiery “Dientes” in September, the ’00s club-inspired Latino urbano track which interpolates Usher’s “Yeah!,” his fans were expecting reggaeton — his “original sound,” as he puts it.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 6, 2023

There are two essentially different lines, according to whether Black interpolates P-QR3 or not.

From Chess Strategy by Du Mont, J.

It all certainly casts a spell, but the narrative devolves into atmospheric mush interpolated with too many images of Hathaway mugging and posing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

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

The two narratives are interpolated each into the other, and the additions of the reviser are more prominent than elsewhere.

From The History of Antiquity, Vol. I (of VI) by Duncker, Max

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

P. G. Wodehouse used to write lyrics for musical plays in England, interpolating one or two in existing successes.

From When Winter Comes to Main Street by Overton, Grant Martin