speculative

adjective

spec·​u·​la·​tive ˈspe-kyə-lə-tiv 

-ˌlā-

1

: involving, based on, or constituting intellectual speculation

also : theoretical rather than demonstrable

speculative knowledge

2

: marked by questioning curiosity

gave him a speculative glance

3

: of, relating to, or being a financial speculation

speculative stocks

speculative venture

speculatively adverb

Synonyms

• theoretic
• hypothetical
• theoretical

Examples of speculative in a Sentence

His conclusions are highly speculative.

a writer with a speculative mind

a speculative boom in housing construction

Recent Examples on the Web

An ideal scenario for the remainder of the year would have the recent choppiness last a bit longer to qualify as a proper scare, skimming the froth off the speculative stuff and resetting expectations in a way that rebuilds investors' capacity to be surprised to the upside. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025

Fans of secret underground complexes will have much to celebrate when The London Tunnels opens in the UK capital, with a speculative date of 2028. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025

Taken together — lax credit standards resurfacing, leveraged firms falling out of favor, speculative flows unmoored from fundamentals — the echoes with past turning points are fanning a spirit of discipline among a cohort of big money managers. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025

The holders of these bonds are therefore making a highly speculative bet. —Mark Weisbrot, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing speculative

• anti-speculative

Kids Definition

speculative

adjective

spec·​u·​la·​tive ˈspek-yə-lət-iv 

-ˌlāt-

1

a

: of or relating to mental speculation

speculative knowledge

b

: curious sense 1

a speculative glance

2

: of or relating to financial speculation

speculatively adverb

Legal Definition

speculative

adjective

spec·​u·​la·​tive ˈspe-kyə-lə-tiv, -ˌlā- 

1

: involving, based on, or constituting intellectual speculation

also : theoretical rather than demonstrable

speculative medical testimony concerning the cause of death

2

: of, relating to, or being a financial speculation

speculative securities

speculative home building

speculatively adverb