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

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

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

The word blood is a gloss, and we have just as much right to interpolate one form, one substance, one nature, one responsibility, or anything else, as blood.

From The Moral and Intellectual Diversity of Races With Particular Reference to Their Respective Influence in the Civil and Political History of Mankind by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur

He frequently interpolates lyrics from other rappers, quoting artists like J Hus and Skepta.

From BBC ● Jan. 8, 2026

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

On “King’s Dead,” Future freaks it and interpolates Three Six Mafia at the same time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2018

He occasionally, and of set design, interpolates among these smooth and easy-flowing verses others cast in a more rugged mould, and here again he is like Catullus and Calvus.

From Letters of the Younger Pliny, First Series — Volume 1 by John Benjamin Firth

Additional Vivaldi arias and ensembles are deftly interpolated among the scrambled “Seasons” movements, their words a combination of Ms. Ruhl’s new English texts and the original Italian and Latin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025

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 track has also been interpolated several times - Danish dance artist Calvin attracted more than 23 million Spotify streams to his 2016 re-imagining of the song, titled Give U Up.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2023

Afterward, the idea became popularized that Christ was the son of God, and then were interpolated the words "as was supposed" in the genealogy of Christ.

From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 7 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Discussions by Robert Green Ingersoll

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

It was the perfect recipe for virality: one part cute kid plus one part delicious food, with a healthy sprinkling of catchy sound bites, perfect for interpolating.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 25, 2022

Then he came to America and began writing lyrics, interpolating them in musical comedies over here.

From When Winter Comes to Main Street by Grant Martin Overton