as in speculation
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1
as in assuming
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
though she does not speak with an accent, I would still guess that she is a foreigner
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in estimating
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement
I would guess the road goes for about two miles before you have to take a left
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in thinking
to have as an opinion
I never would have guessed that she was capable of such a terrible thing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guessing
Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
Being able to see your food cook without opening the fryer means less guessing and no heat loss.
—April Benshosan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Jan. 2026
Any second-guessing wasn’t a criticism of third baseman Matt Shaw, who performed well as a rookie and may now move around as a super-utility player, adding more depth and flexibility to the roster.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
That’s because Flores, as defensive coordinator, kept the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott guessing.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Arkansas Coach John Calipari played a guessing game with members of the media when talking about that aspect of the win.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
But the moon is the rare topic about which there is no guessing.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
The guessing game as to who could succeed Dario Vitale at Versace may be over soon.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 17 Dec. 2025
As 2025 comes to an end, Stephens is saying goodbye to uncertainty and second-guessing.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 2025
Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Such vague commands, the court said, leave agents guessing how to respond during fast-moving protest situations and expose them to possible contempt sanctions.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
This helps riders understand what the vehicle is doing instead of guessing.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
While the direction of the move is still a wildcard, this particular trade setup doesn't depend on guessing it.
—Nishant Pant, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Throughout the semester, Adams delighted in telling political stories while keeping us guessing about his own pedigree.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 26 Jan. 2026
No lever pulling, no guessing how hard, not even any extra button pushes.
—New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026
Trump has teased his decision for current Fed chair Jerome Powell’s replacement for almost a year now, throwing out different names and keeping traders guessing.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
If forced to choose between James and Reaves, here's guessing the majority would choose Reaves.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Jan. 2026
Noun
This approach turns decluttering into a series of quick, confident decisions instead of a marathon of second-guessing.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
Being able to see your food cook without opening the fryer means less guessing and no heat loss.
—April Benshosan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Jan. 2026
Any second-guessing wasn’t a criticism of third baseman Matt Shaw, who performed well as a rookie and may now move around as a super-utility player, adding more depth and flexibility to the roster.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
That’s because Flores, as defensive coordinator, kept the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott guessing.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Arkansas Coach John Calipari played a guessing game with members of the media when talking about that aspect of the win.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
But the moon is the rare topic about which there is no guessing.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
The guessing game as to who could succeed Dario Vitale at Versace may be over soon.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 17 Dec. 2025
As 2025 comes to an end, Stephens is saying goodbye to uncertainty and second-guessing.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 2025
Verb
Instead of guessing where to start hunting, teams can see a list of concrete issues, tied to actual resources, in a single view.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Such vague commands, the court said, leave agents guessing how to respond during fast-moving protest situations and expose them to possible contempt sanctions.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
This helps riders understand what the vehicle is doing instead of guessing.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
While the direction of the move is still a wildcard, this particular trade setup doesn't depend on guessing it.
—Nishant Pant, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Throughout the semester, Adams delighted in telling political stories while keeping us guessing about his own pedigree.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 26 Jan. 2026
No lever pulling, no guessing how hard, not even any extra button pushes.
—New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026
Trump has teased his decision for current Fed chair Jerome Powell’s replacement for almost a year now, throwing out different names and keeping traders guessing.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
If forced to choose between James and Reaves, here's guessing the majority would choose Reaves.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guessing
Noun
-
However, a White House official dismissed speculation.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
No speculation—only billable hours.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shifting the Storytelling Strategy Danielle Krischik, author of The Story Effect, notes that assuming storytelling is just a performance skill is limiting.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The biggest mistake investors make is assuming that patience means inactivity.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Taking copious notes during position meetings, with running backs coach Ron Gould estimating that Williams goes through a notebook every 2-3 weeks.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Wick said accurately estimating costs for complex infrastructure projects is notoriously difficult, especially in an inflationary environment.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Lewis acknowledged after a 3-9 finish in 2024 that thinking about the collective needs to be emphasized more than ever in this age of transfer portal comings and goings.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The Glasgow smile could have been used to send a message to anybody who was thinking of ratting them out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Those are, indeed, pat, credible theories and predictions.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
But now, in the planet’s capital city of Apperax, a murder is committed with no suspects, forensics or theories.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shortly after, a family member of Mitchell's reached out to police, suspecting Immanuel was actually Mitchell.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
-
By episode five, Michael had moved on from suspecting Yam Yam to suspecting Colton, who was a ringleader in the previous episode’s banishment of Big Brother fan favorite Tiffany Mitchell.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And the Rebels, after some early struggles, are suddenly figuring some things out, evidenced by a 10-point win at Utah State on Tuesday in a game they were projected to lose by 16.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Lost amid the euphoria of the first relevant Sharks season in a good long while is the fact that this team is still a collection of kids figuring things out on the fly.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Renee Nicole Good was a pawn of leftist politicians and activists who beguiled her into believing that ICE officers are the bad guys and that there is virtue in attacking them, breaking the law and resisting arrest.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The first-of-a-kind brain-stimulation device approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US has had its efficacy questioned, with scientists believing that its Food and Drug Administration (US) approval was based on too small a study.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guessing. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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