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speculate

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of speculate

to form an opinion from little or no evidence

  • I speculate that someone has been using this cabin as a trysting place
Synonyms of speculate

assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, presume, suppose, surmise, suspect, suspicion [chiefly dialect]
Words Related to speculate

conclude, deduce, gather, infer

hypothecate, hypothesize, theorize

believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], take, think
Near Antonyms of speculate

demonstrate, document, establish, prove, substantiate, validate

ascertain, determine, find out, learn

Synonym Discussion of speculate

think, cogitate, reflect, reason, speculate, deliberate mean to use one's powers of conception, judgment, or inference. think is general and may apply to any mental activity, but used alone often suggests attainment of clear ideas or conclusions.
    • teaches students how to think
cogitate implies deep or intent thinking.
    • cogitated on the mysteries of nature
reflect suggests unhurried consideration of something recalled to the mind.
    • reflecting on fifty years of married life
reason stresses consecutive logical thinking.
    • able to reason brilliantly in debate
speculate implies reasoning about things theoretical or problematic.
    • speculated on the fate of the lost explorers
deliberate suggests slow or careful reasoning before forming an opinion or reaching a conclusion or decision.
    • the jury deliberated for five hours

Learn More about speculate

  1. See words that rhyme with speculate Dictionary: Definition of speculate Spanish Central: Translation of speculate Nglish: Translation of speculate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of speculate for Arabic speakers

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