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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of surmises
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
Verb
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
Noun
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But conclusions are guesses, not guides.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
6 Jan. 2026
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Those are all good guesses, because who else would carry that amount of cash in a shoebox and wait on a main street to hand it over to a complete stranger?—
Dave Lieber,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Neither the author nor publisher assumes liability for any loss or damage arising from use of this material.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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But all of that assumes that a putsch does succeed, and this is dubious.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Leo’s fine, one supposes, as evil plantation owner Calvin Candie, but the role is not a natural fit for him.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
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The first theory supposes that the Big Bang produced dense spots that didn’t collapse immediately.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lawson speculates that things may look different in the classroom 25 years from now with emerging technology, but that doesn’t need to be a bad thing.—
Nish Kohli,
The Providence Journal,
3 Jan. 2026
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Schneider also speculates that the YouTube-AMPAS pact will put pressure on the Television Academy to also deliver a game-changing deal.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
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That's precisely what a smart Southern cook thinks, too.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
9 Jan. 2026
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The Pahlavi pretender himself certainly thinks so.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The second reason is that progress narratives depend on an arc bending in a particular direction, which presumes the existence of a future end state.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Dec. 2025
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The guidance presumes that the current tariff rates on all countries will stay in place for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Just ask 26-year-old Hunter McVey, a fitness model and influencer who suspects his OnlyFans account may have contributed to his own instant transformation into a primetime TV star.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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Episode 2 begins with the immediate fallout of Joe's death; Zoë suspects foul play and vows to hunt down his killer.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surmises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surmises. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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