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.
For months, Wall Street had speculated that China would order about 500 aircraft from Boeing, after nearly a decade of not ordering any.
From MarketWatch ● May 14, 2026
Horror-novel fans had speculated online for months about the book’s authorship, and in January Pangram CEO Max Spero stepped in to validate the chatter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
"Fast forward two and a half years and we've shown that exactly what we had speculated is feasible in mice."
From Science Daily ● Feb. 23, 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
At first the men had speculated about how soon they could possibly expect a rescue ship.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
