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
Steven Spielberg was a late addition to the event as a speaker, leading to speculation there may be a surprise screening of his new ‘Disclosure Day,’ though fest organizers deny the possibility.
—
Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The dev kits arriving in 2027 are prompting speculation that the next-gen device will arrive later in the year or in 2028, given the ongoing memory shortage and the time needed for developers to prepare.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
However, the awards are co-organised by Tokyo International Film Festival, and speculation has been rife that there were concerns about the optics had the ceremony taken place, as Japanese cinema has had a strong year and was likely to walk off with multiple prizes.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
The posts led to speculation that either the pair was feuding or had a duet coming.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 11 Mar. 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.
Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The dev kits arriving in 2027 are prompting speculation that the next-gen device will arrive later in the year or in 2028, given the ongoing memory shortage and the time needed for developers to prepare.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
However, the awards are co-organised by Tokyo International Film Festival, and speculation has been rife that there were concerns about the optics had the ceremony taken place, as Japanese cinema has had a strong year and was likely to walk off with multiple prizes.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
The posts led to speculation that either the pair was feuding or had a duet coming.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 11 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 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
