Adduce vs. deduce vs. induce

What does adduce mean?

Adduce is a verb meaning to give reason, offer proof or cite evidence to prove something is true.

For example:

·      She could not adduce evidence to refute the claim.

What does deduce mean?

Deduce is a verb which means to arrive at a fact or logical conclusion by using reason.

For example:

·      We can deduce the condition of the car when it drove away from the crime scene from the evidence it left behind.

What does induce mean?

Induce is a verb meaning to form a general principle based on specific observations. It can also mean to persuade someone to do something or to cause a physical response.

For example:

·      The doctor can prescribe medicine to induce sleep.

·      He induced the king by offering a bribe.

What’s the difference between adduce, deduce and induce?

Adduce means to give a reason or cite evidence to prove something is true. Deduce means to arrive at a conclusion by drawing on general principles, while induce means the opposite: to derive a general principle based on specific observations. Induce can also mean to persuade someone to do something or to cause a physical response.

For example:

·      We can deduce that he induced the king by offering a bribe, but we could not adduce evidence to prove this claim.