as in theoretic
existing only as an assumption or speculation
a speculative explanation of why this ancient pottery was found hundreds of miles from where it was made
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Recent Examples of speculative
But that convenience comes at a cost, with AI chatbots continuing to offer incorrect or speculative responses.
—
Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
That’s partly because A.I. is a fractious and changing field, in which opinions differ; partly because so much of the latest A.I. research is proprietary and unpublished; and partly because there can be no firm answers to fundamentally speculative questions—only probabilities.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
But analysts say rising premiums are more a speculative play or hedge against risk rather than a sign of impending financial crisis and insolvency.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 29 May 2025
The ball is dropping and an Athletic player attempts a speculative pass through midfield.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for speculative
Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
That’s partly because A.I. is a fractious and changing field, in which opinions differ; partly because so much of the latest A.I. research is proprietary and unpublished; and partly because there can be no firm answers to fundamentally speculative questions—only probabilities.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
But analysts say rising premiums are more a speculative play or hedge against risk rather than a sign of impending financial crisis and insolvency.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 29 May 2025
The ball is dropping and an Athletic player attempts a speculative pass through midfield.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for speculative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculative
Adjective
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Attendees emphasized safety and non-violence while role-playing scenarios with hypothetical characters – for example, a participant frustrated that not enough action is being taken to get the group’s message out and a right-wing protester there to harass attendees.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
13 June 2025
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The company said at the time it was equipped to handle Trump's tariffs, excluding hypothetical further hikes on imports from China.—
Ali McCadden,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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And the consequences of those delays were not theoretical.—
Dr. Shelley Sella,
Time,
11 June 2025
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My expertise in information technology over a 30-year journey often requires an immersion of innovative technologies, such as AI, to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application.—
Deanna Laster,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Speculative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculative. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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