extrapolate
verb
Did you know?
The Many Uses of Extrapolate
Scientists worry about the greenhouse effect because they have extrapolated the rate of carbon-dioxide buildup and predicted that its effect on the atmosphere will become increasingly severe. On the basis of their extrapolations, they have urged governments and businesses to limit factory and automobile emissions. Notice that it's acceptable to speak of extrapolating existing data (to produce new data), extrapolating from existing data (to produce new data), or extrapolating new data (from existing data)—in other words, it isn't easy to use this word wrong.
Examples of extrapolate in a Sentence
Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
The team evaluated the size of the ancient octopuses using allometric calculation—a method that used the proportional growth rates of modern, long-bodied finned octopuses to extrapolate the size of their extinct relatives.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Size estimates were derived by extrapolating from beak measurements using modern octopus anatomy as a reference.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The researchers estimated their overall size by extrapolating from the size of the beak specimens.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extrapolate
Cite this Entry
“Extrapolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extrapolate. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
extrapolate
verb
