as in speculative
existing only as an assumption or speculation
a necessarily conjectural account of Shakespeare's life, since there is so little hard information
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Recent Examples of conjectural
Failure to prosecute leaders because of the conjectural risk to the system would create two systems of justice, with those in power never being held to the same standard as other wrongdoers.
—
Andrew Weissmann, Variety, 1 Mar. 2023
Both of these Elizabeths are conjectural.
—Vulture, 8 Sep. 2022
That's still highly conjectural.
—Anchorage Daily News, 17 June 2020
But the possible consequences of an Iranian nuclear capability are largely conjectural (save for one: nobody would think of invading Iran anymore).
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010
See All Example Sentences for conjectural
Andrew Weissmann, Variety, 1 Mar. 2023
Both of these Elizabeths are conjectural.
—Vulture, 8 Sep. 2022
That's still highly conjectural.
—Anchorage Daily News, 17 June 2020
But the possible consequences of an Iranian nuclear capability are largely conjectural (save for one: nobody would think of invading Iran anymore).
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010
See All Example Sentences for conjectural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conjectural
Adjective
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In the absence of details about the timeframe or scope of the new files to be released, their contents, at this point, are purely speculative.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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Christopher Anderson, the Department of Justice lawyer representing the EPA, argued that while the agency does discount future effects in weighing regulations, that practice is not discriminatory and any link to resulting climate harms is speculative.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Specifically, in the new study, the authors found that compared with previous estimates a hypothetical 1 meter of sea-level rise could put up to 37% more land below sea level, impacting 77–132 million people across the globe.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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Polling throughout the winter had shown little difference between how the two Democrats performed in hypothetical matchups against likely Republican opponents, but some surveys suggested Talarico ran slightly stronger among independents.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The same gap exists across Office and Administrative roles—90% theoretical capability, a fraction of that actually in use.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
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Who could a theoretical player be in a deal?—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conjectural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conjectural. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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