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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guessing
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
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
Cerys Jones, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Everyone—from bankers to studio chiefs—will keep guessing what counts as market power when the biggest player in streaming never had to test its limits in court.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
The language of deterrence is generally shrouded by deliberate ambiguity, to keep potential enemies guessing about the red lines that could trigger a nuclear response.
—John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Woods kept everyone guessing — a favorite hobby of his — with one word and a smug grin last week at Riviera when he was asked if playing in the Masters was off the table.
—ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
The bottom line Selling gold for the most money isn't about guessing where prices go next.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
But lots of people are hoping to make money off of accurately guessing how the evening plays out.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
But after spending a week in Indianapolis with their peers, the Chiefs shouldn’t be left guessing.
—Sam McDowell 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
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
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
Verb
Against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, and Leeds United, Fernandez and Cole Palmer have shared responsibilities across the No 10 and left wing positions, rotating in-game to keep opponents guessing.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Everyone—from bankers to studio chiefs—will keep guessing what counts as market power when the biggest player in streaming never had to test its limits in court.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
The language of deterrence is generally shrouded by deliberate ambiguity, to keep potential enemies guessing about the red lines that could trigger a nuclear response.
—John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Woods kept everyone guessing — a favorite hobby of his — with one word and a smug grin last week at Riviera when he was asked if playing in the Masters was off the table.
—ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
The bottom line Selling gold for the most money isn't about guessing where prices go next.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
But lots of people are hoping to make money off of accurately guessing how the evening plays out.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
But after spending a week in Indianapolis with their peers, the Chiefs shouldn’t be left guessing.
—Sam McDowell 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guessing
Noun
-
Husso, who stopped 16 shots in the first period and 13 in both the second and third, had a timely performance amid speculation the Ducks are pursuing a backup goalie behind Lukas Dostal before Friday’s trade deadline.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Maas answered some, dodged others, and dropped a few hints that will fuel months of new speculation.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From looks alone, you’d be forgiven for assuming the Grand America Hotel was nestled somewhere in the European Alps, as opposed to Salt Lake City’s Wasatch Rockies.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
-
But for a non-clairvoyant Bush II administration, assuming WMD under Saddam Hussein seemed the responsible thing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That report said that models differ by 10% to 20% in estimating the size of that carbon sink, raising questions about the accuracy of global climate projections that rely on them.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The use of fossil fuels has been a point of contention, specifically, due to environmental concerns and an increase in carbon emissions, with some studies estimating that by 2030, data centers will emit 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.—
Neil Strebig,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Deschanel’s review tapped into something a lot of people had been thinking but hadn’t articulated publicly.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Elward said Traynere was using the email to gain a political advantage and learn what members of the opposing party were thinking.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At universities, the study of ancient Chinese texts has historically been scattered across disciplines; now, under government direction, universities are trying to gather that scholarship in new classics departments where, one theory goes, ancient truths can be nurtured and passed down.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
His panels included doctors, physicists, engineers and others and their reports in 2020 and 2022, proposed a theory of the incidents.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Later, Zapata had her killed, suspecting her of being the mole.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Finch senses the team figuring itself out as well.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
To be sure, Republicans wanted to face Crockett in the general, figuring their chances in Texas were better against a progressive Black woman rather than a Presbyterian white man.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
America, keep believing that giving more power to big business and billionaires works best for customers.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
In this way, prediction markets are the perfect technology for a low-trust society, simultaneously exploiting and reifying an environment in which believing the motives behind any person or action becomes harder.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guessing. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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