guesswork

American  

[ges-wurk] / ˈgɛsˌwɜrk /

noun

1. work or procedure based on or consisting of the making of guesses or conjectures.

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guesswork British  

/ ˈɡɛsˌwɜːk /

noun

1. a set of conclusions, estimates, etc, arrived at by guessing

2. the process of making guesses

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Etymology

Origin of guesswork

First recorded in 1715–25; guess + work

Example Sentences

This challenge is designed to take the guesswork and anxiety out of developing contacts into relationships.

From The Wall Street Journal

Salon has curated a broad list to fit every taste, desire and age range – breaking them down into categories and detailing the runtimes to take the guesswork out of the process.

From Salon

"This is where a bit of guesswork comes in," explains Bigwood.

From BBC

Fundamentally, most of the numbers in companies’ financial statements are built on estimates, guesswork and assumptions.

From The Wall Street Journal

For the past few months, investors and policymakers have had to rely on guesswork to determine the path of inflation.

From Barron's

Related Words

• conjecture
• hunch