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
Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 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
Was there a guessing game among the cast?
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Once it’s done, there’s no second-guessing at the airport or scrambling through your wallet while a TSA line grows longer behind you.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Information overload, second-guessing or sudden insights from behind the scenes can disrupt plans tied to your career direction.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
The Vikings moved forward with McCarthy last offseason, then missed the playoffs at 9-8 as McCarthy struggled — inviting second-guessing about their decision to not re-sign Darnold.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 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
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2026
There is a narrative there… Here’s how the panelists told the story at the Grammy Museum, obviously with more of a focus on what was happening in Brother Studio, and secondary guessing at what was happening in Brian’s not always permeable head.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026
Redistricting shouldn’t leave people guessing, residents deserve clarity, access, and confidence in who represents them and how to engage with county government.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
According to court documents, Worden falsely accused her astronaut ex-wife, Anne McClain, of guessing the password to her bank account and improperly accessing it from the space station while the two were going through a divorce.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Join us in guessing the outcome of mostly trivial questions about Super Bowl LX.
—Brandon Funston, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
The restaurant's post promised a free drink to whoever came close to guessing how the cars got there, and why.
—Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 7 Feb. 2026
These days, technology intensifies the challenge to keep defenses guessing.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Amazon’s February deals include Apple AirTags to keep tabs on your luggage, because guessing where your bag landed is not the vibe.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
His candor, appreciated by some because there was never any guessing about where Castellanos stood, was not for everyone.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 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
Was there a guessing game among the cast?
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Once it’s done, there’s no second-guessing at the airport or scrambling through your wallet while a TSA line grows longer behind you.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Information overload, second-guessing or sudden insights from behind the scenes can disrupt plans tied to your career direction.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
The Vikings moved forward with McCarthy last offseason, then missed the playoffs at 9-8 as McCarthy struggled — inviting second-guessing about their decision to not re-sign Darnold.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 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
Verb
Hosted by John Bishop, the 1% Club-esque show is inspired by scientist Francis Galton’s discovery from more than a century ago that crowds are better at guessing than individuals.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2026
There is a narrative there… Here’s how the panelists told the story at the Grammy Museum, obviously with more of a focus on what was happening in Brother Studio, and secondary guessing at what was happening in Brian’s not always permeable head.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026
Redistricting shouldn’t leave people guessing, residents deserve clarity, access, and confidence in who represents them and how to engage with county government.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
According to court documents, Worden falsely accused her astronaut ex-wife, Anne McClain, of guessing the password to her bank account and improperly accessing it from the space station while the two were going through a divorce.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Join us in guessing the outcome of mostly trivial questions about Super Bowl LX.
—Brandon Funston, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
The restaurant's post promised a free drink to whoever came close to guessing how the cars got there, and why.
—Kathleen Hill, The Providence Journal, 7 Feb. 2026
These days, technology intensifies the challenge to keep defenses guessing.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Amazon’s February deals include Apple AirTags to keep tabs on your luggage, because guessing where your bag landed is not the vibe.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guessing
Noun
-
While Singh’s lawyer Jitender Khurana denies any political motive for his client’s paroles, his previous releases coincided with crucial state elections, fueling speculation that his freedom is a reward for the Dera’s electoral support.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Wu’s order comes as speculation continues to swirl around the city that a surge of federal immigration officers is imminent.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That will add another two years to the litigation battle before any trials could even start, and that is assuming the energy companies lose.—
Mark Curriden,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The cap number can be held in a moderate range well beyond 2027, but assuming Nix has a healthy and productive 2026 season, Denver’s days with a quarterback on a rookie deal are numbered.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
New work and volunteer requirements, designed without caregivers in mind, could create unintended consequences — with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that Medicaid work requirements could increase the number of uninsured adults by nearly 5 million by 2034.—
Emily D. Tisdale,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
-
On Metaculus, a group of forecasters has taken to estimating when AIs will have the chops to out-predict an elite team of humans.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Still, thinking about how great the makeup artist made my skin look has inspired me to keep trying.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Leave with your interviewer being a fan of yours and thinking of you when the right position comes along.—
Phil Blair,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Manuel’s approach to narrative structure draws on literary and philosophical theory.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
-
And some have theorized that being a carrier for cystic fibrosis can defend against severe cholera, although the evidence for this theory is more scant.—
Roxanne Khamsi,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 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
-
In a ruse that, for lack of a more astute reference point here, feels very Don Draper-coded, Rose poses as the dear male soldier who died next to her in battle, figuring why waste the deeds to perfectly decent land, or his name.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Somehow, the guy known for not thinking much about results has a stealthy knack for figuring things out.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Nikita and his wife, Oksana, fled Russia in desperation two years ago, believing America was their only hope of giving their three children a life free of fear and oppression.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Baseball owners, with Dick Monfort playing a prominent role as a hawk in labor negotiations, are expected to lock out the players after this season, seeking a salary cap, believing that is the only reason the Dodgers win.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guessing. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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