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.
Weather patterns and lunar phases impact the stock market because our moods affect how we process information, Hirshleifer and Shumway speculated in the conclusion of their study.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Detractors responded in turn, worrying that Grande’s ardent fans were enabling the singer’s unhealthy behavior and speculated eating disorder.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
The alert comes amid what investors speculated could be a coordinated international effort to strengthen the Japanese yen against the dollar, in which Japanese authorities have also taken part.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Times speculated that the creation of FFE could have an impact on the World Cup and the Club World Cup.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
By nine o’clock, he speculated, there was nothing left she felt obligated to do, and so she read or tended her flowers or drove in to Petersen’s Grocery.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
