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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guessing
Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
Consistent filters build stronger leadership habits and reduce second-guessing after the decision is made.
—Fazila Shahid, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
That's a lot of hemming and hawing, a lot of second- and triple-guessing, and a bevy of rewatches to gauge the worthiness of being part of a historically significant canon.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
For both players, there was no second-guessing.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Guerin and his staff received their share of second-guessing for roster decisions, such as leaving some top American goal scorers off the team, including Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Serial killers have played peek-a-boo guessing games with investigators, and the names and whereabouts of some of their victims are never to be known.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
As part of her exit interview for the disguised celebrity guessing game, Entertainment Weekly wanted to get her side of the story.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
The best outcome can — and should — be built without power struggles, second-guessing, or undercutting.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Storey Wertheimer, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
But here’s guessing that no one will call it Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Behind the polished facade of the Winchester home lies a web of shocking twists that keeps audiences guessing until the very end.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
In February, an anonymous day-old Polymarket account won $17,000 by correctly guessing 17 of 20 bets about the Super Bowl halftime show, including whether Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin would appear—a success rate that strongly suggests the bettor had inside information.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 16 Mar. 2026
The President has reportedly been buying his favorite shoes for his male staffers and White House visitors, even guessing their sizes.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Tom Holland likes to keep ’em guessing.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
That reduces the need for guessing and backtracking, and improves efficiency, the retail giant said.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Mar. 2026
For years now, there has been a lot of waiting, guessing and surely in-house prevaricating about who will be the next James Bond.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
Like the northern lights, comet visibility is a big guessing game.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
Consistent filters build stronger leadership habits and reduce second-guessing after the decision is made.
—Fazila Shahid, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
That's a lot of hemming and hawing, a lot of second- and triple-guessing, and a bevy of rewatches to gauge the worthiness of being part of a historically significant canon.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
For both players, there was no second-guessing.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Guerin and his staff received their share of second-guessing for roster decisions, such as leaving some top American goal scorers off the team, including Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Serial killers have played peek-a-boo guessing games with investigators, and the names and whereabouts of some of their victims are never to be known.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
As part of her exit interview for the disguised celebrity guessing game, Entertainment Weekly wanted to get her side of the story.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
The best outcome can — and should — be built without power struggles, second-guessing, or undercutting.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
But Diver was heartbroken to learn that guessing cost her group a tenting spot.
—Storey Wertheimer, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
But here’s guessing that no one will call it Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Behind the polished facade of the Winchester home lies a web of shocking twists that keeps audiences guessing until the very end.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
In February, an anonymous day-old Polymarket account won $17,000 by correctly guessing 17 of 20 bets about the Super Bowl halftime show, including whether Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin would appear—a success rate that strongly suggests the bettor had inside information.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 16 Mar. 2026
The President has reportedly been buying his favorite shoes for his male staffers and White House visitors, even guessing their sizes.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Tom Holland likes to keep ’em guessing.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
That reduces the need for guessing and backtracking, and improves efficiency, the retail giant said.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Mar. 2026
For years now, there has been a lot of waiting, guessing and surely in-house prevaricating about who will be the next James Bond.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guessing
Noun
-
Earlier volunteer claims cited by the South China Morning Post had suggested possible theft linked to the dog meat trade, but those claims were based on speculation with no witnesses.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
How Good Intentions Fueled a False Story Earlier volunteer claims cited by the South China Morning Post had suggested possible theft linked to the dog meat trade, but those claims were based on speculation with no witnesses.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That adds up to more than $4,470 over the life of the HELOC, assuming rates held constant.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Bootstrappers take such interactions for granted by assuming Lorentz invariance (the symmetries of a flat space-time fabric for particles to move around in).—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile security lines have ballooned with officials estimating wait times could reach four hours.—
Lautaro Grinspan,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
At San Diego International Airport, a Thursday Union-Tribune story quoted one officer as estimating that 13% of his colleagues aren’t showing up.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Focus on the craft in front of you without thinking of its hypothetical audience.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But as these researchers are the first to admit, the difficulty of defining intelligence is as old as the study of thinking itself—and has plagued artificial intelligence as a field from its very earliest days.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His practical advice fares better than both his theories and his pallid attempts at profundity.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Behavior change theory includes a tenant of measurement known as social norms.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fans have been suspecting that a Pussycat Dolls reunion was imminent as early as December, when rumors circulated on social media that the group had signed with CAA.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
-
That’s partly because girls are less frequently diagnosed with ADHD than boys are, so many adult women live their whole life with the disorder without ever suspecting it.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Illinois’ 7-foot-2 center was trying to get back on offense, figuring he would get set to play five-on-five.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The truth is, Ricciardo is still figuring everything out.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Trump launched this conflict believing that Iran was weak, and that a short, sharp campaign would force a new leader to terms.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Not like the spring of 2021, with poor Chris Woodward trying his darndest to talk us into believing Joey Gallo, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kyle Gibson were the makings of something big.—
Kevin Sherrington
Mar. 25,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guessing. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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