as in hypothetical
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 both federal and private sector money are now nowhere to be seen, and cap-and-trade revenue is inherently speculative.
—
Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
The building features 28-foot clear heights, concrete tilt-panel construction, 4,032 square feet of speculative office space, trailer parking and is designed to accommodate a wide range of user needs.
—Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
If the surprisingly rough-and-tumble world of 16th-century playwrights doesn’t immediately compel you, know that this is the kind of book in which every page is filled with an unexpected twist or insight (however speculative or hard to prove these conclusions may turn out to be).
—Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
On the right is my sample into Afrikaans — a speculative translation, with no publisher attached.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculative
Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
The building features 28-foot clear heights, concrete tilt-panel construction, 4,032 square feet of speculative office space, trailer parking and is designed to accommodate a wide range of user needs.
—Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
If the surprisingly rough-and-tumble world of 16th-century playwrights doesn’t immediately compel you, know that this is the kind of book in which every page is filled with an unexpected twist or insight (however speculative or hard to prove these conclusions may turn out to be).
—Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
On the right is my sample into Afrikaans — a speculative translation, with no publisher attached.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculative
Adjective
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Difuntorum also addressed hypothetical scenarios of litigation involving Paul, either as a plaintiff or a defendant, though there is no strong indication that either is likely.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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To test this, a team of four scientists built a computer simulation of this hypothetical collision.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For Jewish leaders, the threat is no longer theoretical.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Where previous editions treated AI with theoretical enthusiasm, this year’s market found practitioners speaking in more practical, and sometimes cautious, terms.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Projections of economic gains from major sporting events are typically optimistic, euphoric, chimerical or conjectural.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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That statistic is somewhat conjectural, since the vast majority of rapes in India are apparently not reported.—
Mark Jenkins,
Washington Post,
7 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Speculative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculative. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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