guess
Americanverb (used with object)
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to arrive at or commit oneself to an opinion about (something) without having sufficient evidence to support the opinion fully.
to guess a person's weight.
- Synonyms:
- hazard
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to estimate or conjecture about correctly.
to guess what a word means.
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to think, believe, or suppose.
I guess I can get there in time.
- Antonyms:
- know
verb (used without object)
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to form an estimate or conjecture (often followed by at orabout ).
We guessed at the weight of the package.
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to estimate or conjecture correctly.
noun
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an opinion that one reaches or to which one commits oneself on the basis of probability alone or in the absence of any evidence whatever.
- Synonyms:
- supposition
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the act of forming such an opinion.
to take a guess at someone's weight.
idioms
verb
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to form or express an uncertain estimate or conclusion (about something), based on insufficient information
guess what we're having for dinner
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to arrive at a correct estimate of (something) by guessing
he guessed my age
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informal to believe, think, or suppose (something)
I guess I'll go now
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to let a person remain in a state of uncertainty
noun
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an estimate or conclusion arrived at by guessing
a bad guess
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the act of guessing
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something difficult to predict
Usage
What is a basic definition of guess? Guess means to attempt to provide an answer to something without knowing with certainty that it is correct. When you guess in this way, you don’t have enough information to know for sure. Guess is also a noun that refers to the answer that you give in such a situation. Guess also means to believe or suppose. Guess has a few other senses as a noun and a verb and is used in several idioms. When you guess, it means you’re trying to provide the right answer even though you don’t have enough information to know what it is. Real-life examples: People guess things because they don’t know all the details or because there is not enough information available. People often guess what the weather will be like, or what the future may hold, or what the right answer is to a question on a test. Used in a sentence: I had no clue what her favorite color was so I guessed that it was red. Guess is also commonly used as a noun to refer to the answer arrived at by a person who is guessing. A guess usually relies on luck or hope because a person doesn’t have enough information. Used in a sentence: I thought my prediction had a chance to come true, but my guess turned out to be wrong. As a verb, guess is also used as a synonym for words like think, believe, and suppose—it can mean to feel that something might be possible, doable, or feasible. Used in a sentence: I guess I can make it to the bank before it closes.
Synonym Usage
Guess, guess at, conjecture, surmise imply attempting to form an opinion as to the probable. To guess is to risk an opinion regarding something one does not know about, or, wholly or partly by chance, to arrive at the correct answer to a question: to guess the outcome of a game. Guess at implies more haphazard or random guessing: to guess at the solution of a crime. To conjecture is to make inferences in the absence of sufficient evidence to establish certainty: to conjecture the circumstances of the crime. Surmise implies making an intuitive conjecture that may or may not be correct: to surmise the motives that led to it.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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guessernoun
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preguessnoun
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guessableadjective
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unguessableadjective
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unguessedadjective
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guessinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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guesssimple
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guessessimple
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have guessedperfect
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has guessedperfect
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am guessingprogressive
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are guessingprogressive
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is guessingprogressive
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have been guessingperfect progressive
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has been guessingperfect progressive
Past
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guessedsimple
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had guessedperfect
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was guessingprogressive
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were guessingprogressive
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had been guessingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of guess
First recorded in 1300–50; (for the verb) Middle English gessen, perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Swedish, Danish, Norwegian gissa, Middle Low German gissen, Middle Dutch gessen, Old Norse geta; noun derivative of the verb; cf. get
Explanation
When you don't know the answer but you have to say something, you're taking a guess. When you don't know the answer on a test, you have to guess. People on game shows guess when they're not sure. There are wild guesses (when you have no idea) and educated guesses (when you have some information to work with). Trying to guess someone's age or weight is usually a bad idea, especially if you guess too old or heavy. If the teacher doesn't show up, you could say, "I guess there's no class today.”
Vocabulary lists containing guess
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.
See Examples For:
None of the economists and labor-market experts interviewed by MarketWatch would hazard a guess.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
“As far as predicting future rupture events,” he wrote, “I think the estimate would be close to a wild guess as many of the factors cannot be determined.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
He had that competitive nature about him and would do anything to win and I guess, that's what all the lads loved about him.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
I wish they took care of homelessness, but there’s also love in the air, I guess.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
“I don’t know. I guess she’s okay,” I said, slinging my pack over my shoulder again.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
Using these clues, players continue making guesses until they either find the answer and turn all five squares green or run out of attempts.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026
But those are my are my guesses right there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
“More or less educated guesses, but they were guesses.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026
Still, some investors caution that they are only making educated guesses at this point—and that their thinking could shift quickly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026
You could make as many guesses as you wanted, but each one cost ten silver, paid into the purse, which was a shabby affair of old green brocade held closed with a gaudy brooch.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
His full-time job, for those who may not have guessed: running a roughly $20 billion hedge-fund and venture-capital firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Engineers have guessed at where to grab hold, but Swift must have been altered by twenty years in orbit, according to Barber.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
That sends them on to a round-of-16 meeting with Belgium on Monday in Seattle where a win would be — you guessed it — historic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Against this capitalistic—dare we say orgiastic—cornucopia, Goldman Sachs’ portfolio strategists recently increased their year-end S&P 500 target to, you guessed it, 8000.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
With the balloons and cheesy smiles, Coal guessed it was someone’s birthday, though he couldn’t tell whose.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
The billionaire singer and three-time Super Bowl champion, both 36, have kept fans guessing, but media reports describe an over-the-top celebration befitting one of the world's most famous musicians.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
No prizes for guessing what their top trading day ever was: June 12, the day of the SpaceX initial public offering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Both sides showed how dangerous they are going forward in a match that had you guessing right until the very end.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
But it will not wreck the wider economy guessing about them.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
‘And I’m guessing Maart means March,’ Gabi says.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
