speculate

American  

[spek-yuh-leyt] / ˈspɛk yəˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

speculated, speculating

1. to engage in thought or reflection; meditate (often followed by on, upon, or a clause).

   Synonyms:

   cogitate, reflect, think

2. to indulge in conjectural thought.

   Synonyms:

   theorize, suppose, surmise, guess, conjecture

3. 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.

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speculate British  

/ ˈspɛkjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (when tr, takes a clause as object) to conjecture without knowing the complete facts

2. (intr) to buy or sell securities, property, etc, in the hope of deriving capital gains

3. (intr) to risk loss for the possibility of considerable gain

4. (intr) rugby to make an emergency forward kick of the ball without taking any particular aim

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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”

Explanation

When you speculate, you use what you know to make a prediction about an outcome, like when you speculate that the injury of two key players will prevent your favorite team from going far in the playoffs this year. The verb speculate has a specialized meaning in the world of finance — it means to take a financial risk in the hopes of monetary gain. For example, a business owner may speculate that a brand-new kind of frozen yogurt will be really popular, so she buys a huge order of it for her ice cream store. Someone who speculates goes looking for the next big thing, as seen in the word's Latin origin, speculatus, meaning "to spy out, examine."

Example Sentences

But she was the only medical professional willing to speculate with me.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

“With uncertainty regarding the supply picture looking ahead, we speculate investors may be less willing to ascribe a higher multiple even in light of an improved demand backdrop,” analysts wrote.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

It has urged people not to speculate about the identity of the suspects, saying: "This may lead to additional tensions within our local communities."

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

“People can speculate all they want — but I am standing here today telling you personally that you can count on our complete commitment,” Ellison said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Newsies speculate she's being kept alive so the monarchy doesn't pass the crown to Princess Sophia.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• contemplate
• figure out
• guess
• hypothesize
• read
• reflect
• ruminate
• surmise
• weigh
• wonder