on spec
idiom
1
: without having a definite buyer or customer but with the hope or expectation of finding one when work is completed
He built the house on spec.
She wrote the script on spec.
2
chiefly British
: without being sure of success but with the hope of success
He wrote to the company on spec, hoping for a job.
Examples of on spec in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Photo : Burgess Yachts Six Years in Build The hull was built on spec in 1989 by Perini Navi and sat for 10 years waiting for the right owner.
—
Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2024
One hull was sold to a European client, while the other was built on spec with the American market in mind.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023
And the only way to have a script is to write one on spec.
—Alex Convery, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Tucked away behind a gated driveway in the far western reaches of Malibu, across Pacific Coast Highway from County Line Beach in what’s technically considered Ventura County, the modern home was built on spec by Kris Halliday of MKH Developments in 2022.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023
For all the Hollywood success stories — writers who get big feature films made or develop popular TV shows — many more live a day-to-day struggle of writing on spec, selling pilots that never get made and taking meetings that go nowhere.
—Erica Werner, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2023
Venture capitalists have poured billions of dollars into AI start-ups on spec, while in earnings calls over the past two weeks, tech CEOs have cited AI as a key growth area.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2023
It was made on spec by the American jewelry company.
—Justin Ray, Robb Report, 11 July 2023
Sweetness, for its part, also hailed from Sony TV and was from Promising Young Woman’s Emerald Fennell, who penned the script on spec.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 June 2023
Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2024
One hull was sold to a European client, while the other was built on spec with the American market in mind.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023
And the only way to have a script is to write one on spec.
—Alex Convery, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Tucked away behind a gated driveway in the far western reaches of Malibu, across Pacific Coast Highway from County Line Beach in what’s technically considered Ventura County, the modern home was built on spec by Kris Halliday of MKH Developments in 2022.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023
For all the Hollywood success stories — writers who get big feature films made or develop popular TV shows — many more live a day-to-day struggle of writing on spec, selling pilots that never get made and taking meetings that go nowhere.
—Erica Werner, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2023
Venture capitalists have poured billions of dollars into AI start-ups on spec, while in earnings calls over the past two weeks, tech CEOs have cited AI as a key growth area.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2023
It was made on spec by the American jewelry company.
—Justin Ray, Robb Report, 11 July 2023
Sweetness, for its part, also hailed from Sony TV and was from Promising Young Woman’s Emerald Fennell, who penned the script on spec.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on spec.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near on spec
Cite this Entry
“On spec.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20spec. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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