conjectural
Americanadjective
-
of, of the nature of, or involving conjecture; problematical.
Theories about the extinction of dinosaurs are highly conjectural.
- Synonyms:
- doubtful, theoretical, speculative
-
given to making conjectures.
a conjectural thinker.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of conjectural
1545–55; < Latin conjectūrālis, equivalent to conjectūr ( a ) conjecture + -ālis -al 1
Vocabulary lists containing conjectural
"To Build a Fire," Vocabulary from the short story
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Part 2 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While speculative extensions of physics — such as exotic forms of matter or modifications of general relativity — have been proposed to support such structures, they remain untested and highly conjectural.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
"It's a conjectural but plausible evolutionary theory - one that can't be proven, but makes sense," says Anoop Misra, who heads Delhi's Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2025
Without confirmation from artists, their teams, or Braun himself, changes to Braun’s roster are conjectural.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 23, 2023
Royster’s writing is sometimes conjectural, other times pedantic, but in many passages her prose soars, particularly in her chapter on Valerie June.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2022
The eventual effects of eliminating sage and seeding with grass are largely conjectural.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
