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Synonyms

guesswork

American  
[ges-wurk] / ˈgɛsˌwɜrk /

noun

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


guesswork British  
/ ˈɡɛsˌwɜːk /

noun

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

  2. the process of making guesses

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of guesswork

First recorded in 1715–25; guess + work


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:

In the estimation of Yahoo Finance, at its closing share price Monday of $146.90, the company absurdly boasts a forward price/earnings multiple, which is based on guesswork about future earnings, above 180.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

Jamie added: "Without the recipes I wasn't interested in producing guesswork."

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

We see this secretive man from many angles, to the extent he allows—Mr. Worthen makes clear where the holes exist and where reasonable guesswork may lead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

That has Wall Street nervous about potential rate volatility, particularly if the Fed suddenly says less than it has been over the past 30 years — or leaves markets doing more guesswork.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 12, 2026

The pictures would provide the answer, she reasoned; there was no need for guesswork.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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