When you need to draw a conclusion or an inference, there are a variety of synonyms you can use. Some of these include deduce, assume, surmise, infer, gather, and determine. Each of these words may have a slightly different connotation or be better suited to a particular context. For example, "deduce" often implies that the conclusion is being reached by logical reasoning, while "surmise" suggests a guess or a hunch. "Gather" may be used when arriving at a conclusion based on available facts or evidence. Whatever synonym you choose to use, the goal is the same: to arrive at a well-reasoned and supported conclusion based on the available information.