as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence
the many conjectures about the true identity of Jack the Ripper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement
he conjectured that the theater could seat 1000 people more or less
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to guess
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
you're only conjecturing that he was the culprit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of conjecture
Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
But how does the process of a sacking play out in an age when social media ensures that conjecture over a manager’s position has never felt more frenzied?
—Tom Burrows, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
In 1640, Pierre de Fermat conjectured that there are infinitely many primes that can be formulated by squaring two whole numbers and adding them together.
—Joseph Howlett, WIRED, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conjecture
Noun
Many observers were perplexed that an eighty-two-year-old man with virtually unlimited access to medical care—and about whose health there has been virtually unlimited conjecture—could have gone undiagnosed until the cancer threatened his life.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
But how does the process of a sacking play out in an age when social media ensures that conjecture over a manager’s position has never felt more frenzied?
—Tom Burrows, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
Walker even conjectures that our peculiar sleep patterns may explain our evolutionary advance.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
In 1640, Pierre de Fermat conjectured that there are infinitely many primes that can be formulated by squaring two whole numbers and adding them together.
—Joseph Howlett, WIRED, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conjecture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conjecture
Noun
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The question of where atoms comes from requires a lot of physics to be answered completely – and even then, physicists like me only have good guesses to explain how some atoms are formed.—
Stephen L. Levy,
The Conversation,
23 June 2025
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Where Iran could turn to rebuild its decimated air defenses, when the smoke from this war finally clears, is anyone’s guess.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors, however, estimated the loss to businesses and homeowners at about $35 million.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
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The deadliest country in the world for young children is South Sudan — the United Nations estimates that about 1 in 10 children born there won’t make it to their fifth birthday.—
Kelsey Piper,
Vox,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Some may assume that losing teeth is just part of growing older.—
Reem Amro,
FOXNews.com,
22 June 2025
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Earlier this year, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria fired Chief Operating Officer Eric Dargan and personally assumed those day-to-day city responsibilities.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2025
Noun
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By cultivating a multitude of such microbial habitats, the researchers can compare them and develop theories of how ecological communities work.—
Gabriel Popkin,
Quanta Magazine,
16 June 2025
-
Years earlier, Leonardo had performed his own study of proportions, based on the theories of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius.—
Steven Strogatz,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Verb
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We aren’t even supposed to give straws, utensils or salad condiments without the guest requesting them.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2025
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We weren’t supposed to watch too much TV in our household, but that didn’t stop us.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
Verb
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The officials were also involved in arresting 12 Mexican citizens, suspected of being unlawfully in the U.S. after traveling in a small boat from Mexico to Long Beach.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2025
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Pakistan is also suspected to have played a role in aiding Iran's nuclear efforts, dating back at least to the 1980s via nuclear physicist Abdul Qadeer Khan, considered to be the chief architect of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
Verb
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Thomas is a restricted free agent, but that distinction borders on irrelevant in a market where nobody else has cap space, and Thomas figures to make more than the nontaxpayer MLE. 3.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
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The infield figures to get complicated as well when Alex Bregman returns.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 June 2025
Verb
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Williams also brought up a topic that has been much-discussed and speculated on: whether Arthur and White got along in real life.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2025
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When Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters teaser trailer and images were first released, many K-pop fans began speculating who the K-pop idols in the film looked like.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Conjecture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conjecture. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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