as in guessing
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 speculating
Fans have been speculating about a Hov comeback for this summer, with 2026 serving as the 30th anniversary of his Reasonable Doubt debut and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint.
—
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2026
Beck said some farmers are speculating growers might plant less corn this season to control costs.
—Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Leaders are even speculating that AI efficiency gains will be so great that workweeks will shorten across the board.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
This comes after the latest in the investigation has people speculating that Nancy did not walk out of her home the night of February 1.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 12 Mar. 2026
Investors may choose gold for stability and portfolio diversification, whereas silver may appeal to those speculating on economic growth.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Without Mahomes — and many other injured teammates — Kelce continued to play in the final three games with the outside world speculating about his future.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Some observers are speculating that this customer may be the Virginia company BlackSky, which operates a constellation of sharp-eyed Earth-observation satellites.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2026
After a vague, mid-February social media post got fans speculating if Curtis had accidentally spilled the beans that the upcoming fifth season of the culinary dramedy would be its last, the Emmy winner seems to be doubling down on her comments.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2026
Beck said some farmers are speculating growers might plant less corn this season to control costs.
—Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Leaders are even speculating that AI efficiency gains will be so great that workweeks will shorten across the board.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
This comes after the latest in the investigation has people speculating that Nancy did not walk out of her home the night of February 1.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 12 Mar. 2026
Investors may choose gold for stability and portfolio diversification, whereas silver may appeal to those speculating on economic growth.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Without Mahomes — and many other injured teammates — Kelce continued to play in the final three games with the outside world speculating about his future.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Some observers are speculating that this customer may be the Virginia company BlackSky, which operates a constellation of sharp-eyed Earth-observation satellites.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2026
After a vague, mid-February social media post got fans speculating if Curtis had accidentally spilled the beans that the upcoming fifth season of the culinary dramedy would be its last, the Emmy winner seems to be doubling down on her comments.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculating
Verb
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But here’s guessing that no one will call it Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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The bottom line Savers can earn between $50 and $150 with a $5,000 deposit made into a money market or high-yield savings account in 2026, starting this month, assuming interest rates here remain steady.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Ashley said among misperceptions people have is assuming adult children living with them can no longer be claimed as dependents.—
Francine Knowles,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Even supposing the pledges in the 1990s documents amounted to a crime, the legal deadline for bringing mortgage fraud charges has expired.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In particular, her expert ability to cut a trouser or blazer in the most flattering and forward-thinking way.—
Rosie Jarman,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
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Rather than prescribing exact recipes or telling clients precisely what to eat, Kim encourages thinking in simple nutritional categories.—
Michelle Beadle Holder,
SELF,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speculating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculating. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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