surmise
- to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.
- to conjecture or guess.
- a matter of conjecture.
- an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.
- a conjecture or opinion.
Origin of surmise
Synonyms for surmise
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for surmise
pretend, theorize, hypothesize, deduce, presume, speculate, opine, infer, presumption, conjecture, attempt, theory, inference, deduction, idea, supposition, suspicion, thought, assumption, hypothesisExamples from the Web for surmise
Contemporary Examples of surmise
He could surmise one item in keeping with young women of Somali heritage.
“In retrospect, one could surmise that ISIS has been working towards this point for years now,” he says.
In any event, Sarkozy supporters are correct to surmise that his detention is bad timing for the comeback bid.
She did, however, choose to surmise that “The nationality of the shooter, it sounds Hispanic, Latino,” based on his name.
Historical Examples of surmise
But since you ask for my opinion, you must tell me all you know or surmise of their inducements.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
For what purpose this umbrella may have been carried we can only surmise.
With her appearance at C——-, commenced all that surmise could invent.
Alice, or The Mysteries, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
"You are quite right in that surmise also," answered Miss Jennie.
Jennie Baxter, JournalistRobert Barr
It is not difficult to surmise to what enterprises the President referred.
The Railroad QuestionWilliam Larrabee
surmise
- (when tr, may take a clause as object) to infer (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence
- an idea inferred from inconclusive evidence
Word Origin for surmise
Word Origin and History for surmise
early 15c., legal, "a charge, a formal accusation;" see surmise (v.). Meaning "inference, guess" is first found in English 1580s.