as in assumed
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in guessed
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Recent Examples of surmised
Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
Google Street View images of a communal dining area, interior rooms and a bowling alley passed on the screen as the vehicle continued through the building, which a reporter determined later to be an actual retirement complex, just as the group members had surmised.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Freep.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Adama surmised that the Russians were low on drones and attempting to resupply.
—Ken Harbaugh, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
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
For the last three years, fans have surmised that one of the albums would be rock.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
And because the fossil record shows the widespread decline of American megafauna starting around the same time - with North America losing 70% of its large mammals, and South America losing more than 80% - many researchers surmised that humans' arrival led to mass extinctions.
—CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
And because the fossil record shows the widespread decline of American megafauna starting around the same time — with North America losing 70% of its large mammals, and South America losing more than 80% — many researchers surmised that humans’ arrival led to mass extinctions.
—Christina Larson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
In fact, some investigators hired by media outlets have surmised that McDermott faked his own death and is still alive somewhere in Mexico.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
Google Street View images of a communal dining area, interior rooms and a bowling alley passed on the screen as the vehicle continued through the building, which a reporter determined later to be an actual retirement complex, just as the group members had surmised.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Freep.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Adama surmised that the Russians were low on drones and attempting to resupply.
—Ken Harbaugh, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
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
For the last three years, fans have surmised that one of the albums would be rock.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
And because the fossil record shows the widespread decline of American megafauna starting around the same time - with North America losing 70% of its large mammals, and South America losing more than 80% - many researchers surmised that humans' arrival led to mass extinctions.
—CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
And because the fossil record shows the widespread decline of American megafauna starting around the same time — with North America losing 70% of its large mammals, and South America losing more than 80% — many researchers surmised that humans’ arrival led to mass extinctions.
—Christina Larson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surmised
Verb
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There was a camp nearby and Bob guessed that its occupants were trout fishermen.—
Worth Matthewson,
Outdoor Life,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The internet being the internet, however, some fans had correctly guessed this twist was coming after sharing Harcourt’s observation about the population’s whiteness — matched with the fact that on the main Earth, Auggie was a virulent white supremacist known as the White Dragon.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The assumed likelihood is that jobs are on the line for both head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier -- and also that star receiver Tyreek Hill could be traded during the season if things go south.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Getting confronted with gruesome, horrific imagery has, unfortunately, become an assumed risk when logging onto social media.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The scouts acknowledge that, because of his youth and inexperience, Sarr initially was thought of, and still should be thought of, as a long-term developmental project.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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But yeah, incredible play and thought the defense played physical, man.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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What to Know Several companies have issued voluntary recalls of shrimp products suspected of possible Cs-137 contamination.—
Matt Cannon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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In its original incarnation, the group stood in opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee’s Joseph McCarthy-era interrogations of Hollywood figures suspected of communist sympathies.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But arrests of city police officers in this alleged scam — and possibly other cops involved in similar misconduct — are expected in the coming months, according to sources familiar with the investigation.—
Adrian Ruhi,
Miami Herald,
6 Oct. 2025
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For the first, Reiner cited ABC’s recent suspension of Jimmy Kimmel after an alleged threat from the FCC.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Contestants shouldn't wear logos to rehearsal As former executive producer Joe Sungkur told Glamour in 2015, contestants are not supposed to wear logos in rehearsal.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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We were really supposed to finish.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surmised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surmised. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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