as in guessed
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
I speculate that someone has been using this cabin as a trysting place
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Recent Examples of speculated
However, some experts have speculated that Beijing is using Nvidia’s market access as leverage in trade negotiations or to push Washington for wider access to advanced semiconductors.
—
Dylan Butts, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
In that same conversation, Marian also alleged that Alex speculated on the murderer's motives.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Researchers have speculated this is because there may be something inherent in the way all large language models encode language that enables similar prompt injections to have success against any AI model.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Following news that Smith was ruled inactive against Arizona, NFL fans on social media speculated the defensive tackle might be on the move on Tuesday.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
As a result, some Dearborn residents speculated whether the arrests were justified, or perhaps a way to profile the city’s large Arab population, which has long been targeted for Islamophobic attacks.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
The two were speculated to be together when the two were making out on Perry’s yacht in August.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 4 Nov. 2025
When the rest of the cast, sans Burrell, reunited in 2023, some fans speculated that the Dunphy patriarch had died because of his absence.
—Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Many seemed to believe the dashing man was the chief inspector on the case, while some even speculated his dapper appearance hinted at an elegant criminal who was involved in the heist somehow.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Dylan Butts, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
In that same conversation, Marian also alleged that Alex speculated on the murderer's motives.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Researchers have speculated this is because there may be something inherent in the way all large language models encode language that enables similar prompt injections to have success against any AI model.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Following news that Smith was ruled inactive against Arizona, NFL fans on social media speculated the defensive tackle might be on the move on Tuesday.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
As a result, some Dearborn residents speculated whether the arrests were justified, or perhaps a way to profile the city’s large Arab population, which has long been targeted for Islamophobic attacks.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
The two were speculated to be together when the two were making out on Perry’s yacht in August.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 4 Nov. 2025
When the rest of the cast, sans Burrell, reunited in 2023, some fans speculated that the Dunphy patriarch had died because of his absence.
—Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Many seemed to believe the dashing man was the chief inspector on the case, while some even speculated his dapper appearance hinted at an elegant criminal who was involved in the heist somehow.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculated
Verb
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Nineteenth-century reporters could be extremely casual with facts and guessed at the spelling of names.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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After the album dropped, Jason spoke with Travis, 35, about the song on their New Heights podcast — and guessed at what tree his own manhood would be.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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More recently, Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing populist who assumed office in 2019, got along famously with the similarly minded Trump during the last two years of the American president’s first term.—
Ron Kampeas,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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When preparing to host Thanksgiving, it's assumed that hand towels are going to be a necessity in both the kitchen, powder room, and guest bathrooms.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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She is also suspected of involvement in the disappearance of her landlord.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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Or another local mom, Jenny (Dakota Fanning), for hiring the nanny (Sophia Lillis’ Carrie) suspected of taking him.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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What else are we supposed to do?—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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If successful, this productive force— supposed to be restorative, in at least some visions—would grow up in symbiosis with primitive fossil capital.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In contrast, the north-pole was thought to be geologically inactive.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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Experts have long thought auditory hallucinations arise from a person perceiving their inner thoughts or speech as real voices coming from the outside world.—
Hannah Seo,
Scientific American,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Harder surmised this may have been the result of accountants paying the water bill for the business without noticing the extra fee for the violation.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Nov. 2025
-
If politicians were denied their pay, many surmised, the shutdown would wrap up quickly.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
At least nine people are believed to have been killed on the ground, including a child, in addition to the plane's three crew members who are presumed to be dead, according to authorities.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Speculated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculated. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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