second-guess

verb

sec·​ond-guess ˌse-kᵊŋ-ˈges 

-kən(d)-

second-guessed; second-guessing; second-guesses

transitive verb

1

: to criticize or question actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known

… meet almost every morning and, over coffee, second-guess the local coach.

—Bruce Newman

also : to engage in such criticism of (an action or decision)

second-guess the general's strategy

2

: to seek to anticipate or predict

… lived royally by his ability to second-guess the stock market.

—Time

second-guesser noun

Examples of second-guess in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gustin second-guessed her ability to do the job safely because no one had ever demonstrated the physical aspects of it to her. — Raginee Sudhir Chaurey, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026

If a board selects a CEO and then continually second-guesses that person, decisions won’t happen quickly enough, and the company will suffer. — Steve Murphy, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Letter writer second-guesses history of avoidant behavior after one phone argument ends a decades-long friendship. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

People with analysis paralysis overthink their options, over-research, and second-guess their first instincts. — Shayla Love, Vox, 25 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

second-guess

verb

sec·​ond-guess

ˌsek-ᵊŋ-ˈges, 

-ən-

1

: to question or criticize actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known

2

: predict

second-guesser noun