deduce
dih-DOOS
/dɪˈdjuːs/
To arrive at a fact or a conclusion by reasoning; to draw as a logical necessary consequence from given premises.
Deduction moves from the general rule to a specific conclusion. If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.
The story behind the word. When you deduce, you are being 'led down' from a general truth to a specific point. It is like following a path from the top of a mountain down to a specific house at the bottom.
Word relationships
- infer: Inferring is more about reaching a likely conclusion based on evidence, while deducing implies a more rigid, logical necessity.
Commonly confused with
- induce: Deduce is top-down (general to specific); induce is bottom-up (specific to general).
Word family
- deduction (noun): The action of deducing or the conclusion reached.
- deductive (adjective): Characterized by or based on the method of deduction.
Collocations
- deduce from
- logically deduce
- able to deduce
Example sentences
- "From a drop of water, a logician could deduce the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara." A classic literary example of logical reasoning.
- "By looking at the muddy footprints, the detective was able to deduce that the suspect had entered through the garden." Using evidence to find a culprit.
Memory hook
Deduce = De-Reduce. You reduce all possibilities down to the one that must be true. Lead down to the truth.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'induce', which moves from specific observations to a general theory.
Fun facts
- Sherlock Holmes famously claimed to use deduction, but most of his reasoning is actually 'abduction'—finding the most likely explanation for observations.
Related words
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