surmise 1 of 2

Definition of surmisenext
as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence my surmise is that the couple's "good news" is the announcement that they are going to have a baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

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surmise

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surmise
Noun
One surmise is that the syndrome is caused by residual viral debris that continues to activate and/or exhaust the immune system. Melissa Healystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022 Instead, Rodrigues and Ohlrogge surmise, the glut of retail investors are probably not showing up for the vote. Scott Nover, Quartz, 7 Sep. 2022
Verb
State economists have surmised over the past year that the rise in unemployment is less about people losing their jobs and more about those entering or reentering the labor market needing more time to find work. Jim Turner, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026 This could be surmised as experimental evidence for the physical mechanism of the materials. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for surmise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surmise
Noun
  • My guess is, right now, the Taiwanese do not look at them; the Japanese do not look at them.
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
  • Use these clues to narrow down your guesses.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Scott, the attorney, also said Thursday that Williamson assumed, based on her conversations with McCluskie, that McCluskie had spoken to Becerra about the concept of the money transfer.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
  • Recommended Stories That’s assuming there’s actually enough of it accessible on the moon to be profitably extracted.
    Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • That could mean bad customer experiences, compliance risks or AI tools that frustrate the same workers they were supposed to help.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
  • Instead, the neoliberal era produced the greatest upward transfer of wealth in American history—$79 trillion from the bottom 90 percent to the top 10 percent since 1975, according to a RAND study—without the growth that was supposed to make that transfer worth it.
    Nick Hanauer, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • The Justice Department said Saab is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • An indictment is merely an allegation, and Saab is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Surmise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surmise. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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