speculate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to engage in thought or reflection; meditate (often followed by on, upon, or a clause).
-
to indulge in conjectural thought.
- Synonyms:
- theorize, suppose, surmise, guess, conjecture
-
to engage in any business transaction involving considerable risk or the chance of large gains, especially to buy and sell commodities, stocks, etc., in the expectation of a quick or very large profit.
verb
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(when tr, takes a clause as object) to conjecture without knowing the complete facts
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(intr) to buy or sell securities, property, etc, in the hope of deriving capital gains
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(intr) to risk loss for the possibility of considerable gain
-
(intr) rugby to make an emergency forward kick of the ball without taking any particular aim
Other Word Forms
- overspeculate verb (used without object)
- prespeculate verb (used without object)
- unspeculating adjective
Etymology
Origin of speculate
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin speculātus “watched over,” past participle of speculārī “to watch over, explore, reconnoiter,” verb derivative of specula “watchtower,” noun derivative of specere “to look, regard, see”
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.
But fans have asked for more transparency after also spotting that Bannerman has removed all references to Katseye from her Instagram profile, leading some to speculate that she might have left the group permanently.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Some locals speculate that the Sconset homeowners might have staged the vandalism themselves to gain sympathy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
Specialists with the Department of Fish and Wildlife speculate that he may have lost his toes due to umbilical cord strangulation.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
The trade essentially gets the options market to pay investors to speculate that the ETF will be above $660 on April 17.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
We continued to hear snippets of the fancy plans for Central students to have fun during the final weeks of the school year, plans that we could only speculate about.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
