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
  • These are our best guesses as to where life might exist elsewhere in the universe.
    — Elijah Tan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026
  • Simple words with a sibling or housemate work better than guesses.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026
Definition of guesses
Verb
  • Guitars take the place of shovels, as Henry now repays Carlos’ kindness by helping to save the land that Carlos assumes is ravaged.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • There is a real risk of cultural bias if AI assumes the whole world, ranging from Argentina and Egypt to Japan and Zimbabwe, ought to pursue the same values as the Western world.
    — Alexandra Figueroa, The Conversation, 14 July 2026
Definition of assumes
Verb
  • This is not true, unless, Miss Manners supposes, your definition of formality begins and ends with having to wear shoes.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
  • Farrell supposes that no high school baseball team in the nation has traveled as much as Orange Lutheran has.
    — Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 2 May 2026
Definition of supposes
Verb
  • Perhaps the closest analogue, Köhler speculates, are wellness retreats.
    — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 9 July 2026
  • In the 2021 edition of the novel published by Ediciones Uniandes, Carolina Alzate speculates that this could be referring to a town near Natagaima, currently in Tolima.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of speculates
Verb
  • SpaceX thinks Starship's combination of power and reusability will revolutionize spaceflight, allowing humanity to settle the moon and Mars, among other bold exploration feats.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 July 2026
  • Morgentaler, on the other hand, thinks screening even without specific symptoms can provide important insight into a man’s health, and with the right medical oversight, overtreatment can be avoided.
    — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 16 July 2026
Definition of thinks
Verb
  • One presumes that this parent is also constantly looking at her phone.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
  • This presumes that their athletic ability would translate onto the soccer pitch.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of presumes
Verb
  • The test is also not included on all standard lab workups for stomach bugs, and may require a special order from the doctor who suspects it.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 13 July 2026
  • Val, a human resources executive at a Silicon Valley aerospace company, suspects that Leela, a first-generation Indian-American, was overlooked for a promotion.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 13 July 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 19 Jul. 2026.

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