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
-
To my eye, Zurek has almost tied up the loose ends that have been confounding physics for 100 years, without invoking any substantially new or speculative assumptions.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Deutsche Bank’s Reid noted that much of the selling driven by these anecdotes was purely speculative.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This isn’t a distant hypothetical.—
Suzette Valladares,
Oc Register,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Responsibility is a group effort For Ahmet Öksüz, chairman of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association, the need for systemic transformation is no longer some future-facing hypothetical, but rather an existential imperative that demands both innovation and conscience.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Without proper passivation, the wafer edges act as a drain, negating the theoretical performance benefits these wafers could provide.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
-
What makes this moment distinct is that the debate no longer feels theoretical.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conjectural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conjectural. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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