speculate

verb

spec·​u·​late ˈspe-kyə-ˌlāt 

speculated; speculating

intransitive verb

1

a

: to meditate on or ponder a subject : reflect

b

: to review something idly or casually and often inconclusively

2

: to assume a business risk in hope of gain

especially : to make a relatively risky investment in something (such as stocks or real estate) in the hope of making a large short-term profit from market fluctuations

transitive verb

1

: to take to be true on the basis of insufficient evidence : theorize

2

: to be curious or doubtful about : wonder

speculates whether it will rain all vacation

Did you know?

It might be said that what separates our species from others is our tendency "to meditate on or ponder a subject." That's the original 16th century meaning of speculate. It's a use not too distant from today's most common sense, which also involves the mind and thinking: when someone speculates about something, they think and make guesses about it, often forming unsubstantiated ideas or theories. But the origins of speculate lie not in thinking but in looking—the word comes from Latin specere, meaning "to look," or "to look at." We don't have to look far to find other specere descendants, and we'll point them out here with some italics: a cursory inspection reveals spectacle, spectrum, specimen, and perspective. Less conspicuous are despise, prospect, and species.

Synonyms of speculate

• guess
• assume
• suppose
• suspect
• think

Choose the Right Synonym for speculate

think, cogitate, reflect, reason, speculate, deliberate mean to use one's powers of conception, judgment, or inference.

think is general and may apply to any mental activity, but used alone often suggests attainment of clear ideas or conclusions.

teaches students how to think

cogitate implies deep or intent thinking.

cogitated on the mysteries of nature

reflect suggests unhurried consideration of something recalled to the mind.

reflecting on fifty years of married life

reason stresses consecutive logical thinking.

able to reason brilliantly in debate

speculate implies reasoning about things theoretical or problematic.

speculated on the fate of the lost explorers

deliberate suggests slow or careful reasoning before forming an opinion or reaching a conclusion or decision.

the jury deliberated for five hours

Examples of speculate in a Sentence

She could only speculate about her friend's motives.

He speculated as to whether she would come.

We don't know what happened—we can only speculate.

speculating on the stock market

Recent Examples on the Web

What little furniture Frank did use in his own home and in those of his daring clientele followed a similar ethos, which some speculate was his extreme spin on the streamlined 18th-century furniture of Louis XVI, undergoing a resurgence at the time. — Architectural Digest, 25 Aug. 2026

Kylie Cooper | Reuters A major piece of legislation that will establish a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies is unlikely to become a law by year end, Kalshi traders speculate. — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

At the time of the arrest, many royal observers speculated about Harry and Meghan’s reaction, especially since they had often been portrayed as the family villains. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026

Frank Sierawski didn't set out to discover a multibillion-dollar market for speculating on when people with life insurance policies will die. — Vito Emanuel, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin speculātus, past participle of speculārī "to keep a close watch on, observe, spy out, look out for" (Late Latin, "to envision, contemplate"), derivative of specula "lookout post," from specere "to see, observe" + -ula, deverbal suffix of instruments — more at spy entry 1

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Rhymes for speculate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

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Kids Definition

speculate

verb

spec·​u·​late ˈspek-yə-ˌlāt 

speculated; speculating

1

: to think or wonder about a subject

speculating about the future

2

: to engage in a business deal in which much profit may be made although at a big risk

speculator

-ˌlāt-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

speculate

verb

spec·​u·​late ˈspe-kyə-ˌlāt 

speculated; speculating

intransitive verb

1

: to theorize on the basis of insufficient evidence

Note: A jury is not permitted to speculate on a matter about which insufficient evidence has been presented in reaching its verdict.

2

: to assume a business risk in hope of gain

especially : to buy or sell in expectation of profiting from market fluctuations

transitive verb

: to take to be true on the basis of insufficient evidence

speculator

-ˌlā-tər 

noun