as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence
my surmise is that the couple's "good news" is the announcement that they are going to have a baby
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to guess
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
we surmised that she had purchased the apple pie since there was a bakery box on the kitchen counter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surmise
Melissa Healystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022
Instead, Rodrigues and Ohlrogge surmise, the glut of retail investors are probably not showing up for the vote.
—Scott Nover, Quartz, 7 Sep. 2022
Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
Center staff surmised the bird had become entangled in fishing line.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surmise
Noun
One surmise is that the syndrome is caused by residual viral debris that continues to activate and/or exhaust the immune system.
—Melissa Healystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022
Instead, Rodrigues and Ohlrogge surmise, the glut of retail investors are probably not showing up for the vote.
—Scott Nover, Quartz, 7 Sep. 2022
Verb
On the podcast, Allen calmly surmised his time on Earth is numbered, and shot down Maher's suggestion that artificial intelligence might prolong his life.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
Center staff surmised the bird had become entangled in fishing line.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surmise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surmise
Noun
-
And in the comments of her introductory video, her team shoots down every plausible guess.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The married filmmakers said their best guess currently puts him in Mexico.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
So there’s a risk in assuming that there’s somebody guarding the gates and that the technology will only go so far.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Likewise, a detailed historical analysis by Nancy Morawetz, Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law, and Natasha Fernández-Silber immigration attorney and researcher, cautions against assuming there is a comprehensive, one-size-fits-all registration system.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Maybe mom and dad were never supposed to nurture your creativity just like their parents never drew them a blueprint on how to survive as immigrants.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
13 Oct. 2025
-
She’s supposed to be paying rent each week but rarely does.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Its modest following often dismissed those posts as fakes, presuming the quartet staged spooky stuff for clicks.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Courts, for their part, developed legal doctrines that require them to presume the President’s good faith in deferring to him.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surmise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surmise. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share