speculation
noun
spec·u·la·tion
ˌspe-kyə-ˈlā-shən 
: an act or instance of speculating: such as
a
: assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain
b
: a transaction involving such speculation
Examples of speculation in a Sentence
He dismissed their theories as mere speculation.
The book is just a lot of idle speculation about the future.
Her speculations leave many questions unanswered.
He lost everything in foolish land speculation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Political observers often float Ossoff as a potential 2028 candidate for president, but he's waved away speculation.
—
Jay Stahl, USA Today, 15 June 2026
The move has sparked speculation about family tensions, with many expecting Nick’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, to block his access to the money.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 15 June 2026
For all the early speculation that only a high-tech military could have pulled it off, Pancevski reveals that the Ukrainians recruited a team of thrill-seeking amateur divers who had trained to go far deeper than military professionals would risk.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
The extent of that separation is still the source of considerable speculation on Wall Street.
—Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculation
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jay Stahl, USA Today, 15 June 2026
The move has sparked speculation about family tensions, with many expecting Nick’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, to block his access to the money.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 15 June 2026
For all the early speculation that only a high-tech military could have pulled it off, Pancevski reveals that the Ukrainians recruited a team of thrill-seeking amateur divers who had trained to go far deeper than military professionals would risk.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
The extent of that separation is still the source of considerable speculation on Wall Street.
—Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculation
Cite this Entry
“Speculation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speculation. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
speculation
noun
spec·u·la·tion
ˌspek-yə-ˈlā-shən
1
: thoughts or guesses about something
much speculation about who the new teacher would be
2
: the taking of a big risk in business in hopes of making a big profit
Legal Definition
speculation
noun
spec·u·la·tion
ˌspe-kyə-ˈlā-shən
: an act or instance of speculating: as
a
: assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain
b
: a transaction involving such speculation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
