speculate
verb (used without object)
to engage in thought or reflection; meditate (often followed by on, upon, or a clause).
speculated
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past participleof speculate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof speculate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
speculateverb (used without object)to engage in thought or reflection; meditate (often followed by on, upon, or a clause).
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.
A fourth customer, revealed in July, is speculated by some analysts to be the U.S.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Wehniainen speculated that a difficult job market may have left candidates desensitized to interview rituals and discouraged about their chances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Shortly after Muniz’s post, Price posted an Instagram story with a message that some followers speculated may be a response to the actor’s admission.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Investors and banking industry executives have privately speculated the bank could be poised to acquire a smaller lender.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
They speculated about what the Professor had in mind, and had just about agreed that he was probably bringing back all their stuff, when he arrived—apparently empty-handed.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
