speculate
verb (used without object)
to engage in thought or reflection; meditate (often followed by on, upon, or a clause).
had speculated
-
past perfectof speculate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Many had speculated that active managers would close the gap as they pored over a shrinking slice of the market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Fed watchers had speculated for months about whether Powell would stay on the board after his term as chair ends on May 15.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
Astronomers as far back as the mid-18th century had speculated that some nebulae might be remote systems of stars or “island universes,” but there was no data to support this hypothesis.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2025
Scientists had speculated that the planet's overinflated radius resulted from a source of heat inside, said Zafar Rustamkulov, a Johns Hopkins doctoral student in planetary science who co-led the research.
From Science Daily ● May 20, 2024
They had speculated that growing up in the American military could affect the personality of an individual in one of two ways.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
