second-guess

American  

[sek-uhnd-ges] / ˈsɛk əndˈgɛs /

verb (used with object)

1. to use hindsight in criticizing or correcting.

2. to predict (something) or outguess (someone).

   We must try to second-guess what he'll do next.

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second-guess British  

verb

1. to criticize or evaluate with hindsight

2. to attempt to anticipate or predict (a person or thing)

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Other Word Forms

• second-guesser
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of second-guess

First recorded in 1945–50

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Explanation

When you second-guess something, you either predict what will happen in the future, or look back and reevaluate something that happened in the past. You might second-guess your decision to wear shorts after it starts snowing. You can second-guess how your favorite player will perform in the Super Bowl, but you won't know until you watch the game. And then you might second-guess the way your team played. The first use of second-guess has you guessing what someone will do. The second, which is more common in the U.S., comes from baseball slang, "for a fan who loudly questions decisions by players."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

second-guess

So when, for instance, a federal agency like the Department of Veterans Affairs defines a medical term in determining which veterans get benefits, a court has limited discretion to second-guess that expert analysis.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2026

You are trying to second-guess what the goalkeeper will do, and he is trying to do the same to you, but at the same time you are battling negative thoughts about whether you will miss.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

"You shouldn't let a single Missouri jury second-guess that judgment."

From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026

If insurers second-guess claims, attorneys threaten to sue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

There isn’t a single thing to second-guess about it.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz

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