surmises 1 of 2

noun

plural of surmise
as in guesses
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

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surmises

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of surmise
as in assumes
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

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 surmises
Noun
Nothing in your life has dissuaded you from these early surmises. — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Verb
Evans surmises the fish that survived were in an area of the creek where less charred material and sediment were swept in. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 Upon entering the house, Donnie surmises there is an orgy-type party going on. — Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026 Cohen surmises that the home was the first on the block. — Culture Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Jan. 2026 Morgan correctly surmises that a misdelivered piece of mail was a move by the Game Master and not just a fuckup by the postal service. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025 In the study, Ned correctly surmises that Colum riled Dougal up into beating Malcolm so that Colum could be seen as the cooler head/better leader. — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surmises
  1. guesses
  2. assumes
  3. supposes
  4. speculates
  5. thinks
  6. presumes
  7. suspects
Noun
  • Everyone predicted the scoreline of each of the 10 Premier League matches each gameweek, with points awarded for correct guesses and a league table kept track of who was leading.
    — The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Under Sharma’s tweet, past all the guesses, there are a huge number of fans telling her that Elder Scrolls VI should be Xbox exclusive as easily the biggest first-party game of this generation.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of guesses
Verb
  • All of it assumes the danger sits between the CEO and the board.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One assumes the show will continue to give Olivia Cooke invented material during the fourth season.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of assumes
Verb
  • But that view wrongly supposes that Abundance was meant to be its own electoral lane.
    — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • Of course, this pre-supposes that Salah looks to leave Europe this summer as a free agent.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Definition of supposes
Verb
  • Interestingly, sales of sunflower butter go up 18%; Instacart speculates that this happens because most schools have a nut-free policy.
    — Parents, Parents, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The team speculates that’s likely where the flies fall back on simpler reflexes.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of speculates
Verb
  • Alex Pantling/Getty Images What is clear is that no one thinks the changes enacted in either the Championship or League One are a resolution to the EFL’s marked financial ills.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Simplicity and craft are definitely what everyone thinks of when Instagram comes to mind.
    — Aurich Lawson, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of thinks
Verb
  • The Hoodoo tradition presumes a belief in a supernatural or spirit world that can be called upon for assistance, often through charms and incantations.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The United States’ triumph in the Cold War also helped shape a strategic culture in Washington that presumes setting expansive goals such as nation building and regime change is both possible and desirable.
    — Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of presumes
Verb
  • But no one suspects Becca, who walks away with an additional seven points, leaping from a tie for last place (with Izzy and Erika) to a clean win, and the fanciest, courtliest, most butterfly-est wig of them all.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • One of his personal highlights was Mark Pellington’s 1999 political thriller Arlington Road, starring Jeff Bridges as a history professor who suspects his neighbor, played by Tim Robbins, of being involved in an anti-government extremist movement.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of suspects

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Cite this Entry

“Surmises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surmises. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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