as in to guess
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
I speculate that someone has been using this cabin as a trysting place
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Recent Examples of speculate
His age and tenure are some of the reasons court commentators have recently speculated Alito, one of the court’s most conservative justices, may want to retire soon.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Witnesses could be heard in the background speculating whether the shark was still alive.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
In the third part of the interview published Thursday, Cooke was asked a few hard-hitting questions about the time of Batula and Wilson’s relationship, which has been speculated about online.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
As with philosophy, the study of religion underscores how humankind has long speculated about its origins.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculate
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Witnesses could be heard in the background speculating whether the shark was still alive.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
In the third part of the interview published Thursday, Cooke was asked a few hard-hitting questions about the time of Batula and Wilson’s relationship, which has been speculated about online.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
As with philosophy, the study of religion underscores how humankind has long speculated about its origins.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculate
Verb
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Foster said a few people correctly guessed the breed combination.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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There is a famous idea that large groups can be good at guessing simple things, like — like the weight of a bull.—
Gary Shapiro,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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And assume that any unexpected message about your Social Security number deserves a second look.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When are Americans supposed to retire?—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Right now, our California Department of Education — which is really supposed to be helping inform policy and deliver the implementation — reports to both the state superintendent and to the governor.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many immigration lawyers suspect that the March email ordering a halt in new asylum pretermissions could indicate a shift toward other forms of third-country deportations.—
Molly A. Wallace,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Four individuals suspected of nefarious dealings involving Bhrags were charged and arrested on Tuesday in connection with the corruption investigation, including the company’s executive director, Roberto Samedy, and its former board chairman, Jean Ronald Tirelus.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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What was John thinking before the surface of the water appeared before his windshield, rushing forward at terrifying speed?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
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How many average people have once thought about harming ourselves or others?—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculate. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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