guesswork

noun

guess·​work ˈges-ˌwərk 

: work performed or results obtained by guess : conjecture

Examples of guesswork in a Sentence

Calculating the drug's long-term effects is pure guesswork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Still recovering from knee surgery, Phillips held binoculars in one hand, peering down from a booth so high jersey numbers blurred into guesswork. — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Certification badges and identity verification take the guesswork out of the process for each applicant. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026

And without one, treatment becomes guesswork, ineffective at best, harmful at worst. — Jerome Groopman, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026

Shopping for denim can be challenging, but Hand said Untuckit’s consistent sizing and fit can help alleviate some of the guesswork. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for guesswork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

guesswork

noun

guess·​work -ˌwərk 

: work performed or results gotten by guessing