surmise
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a matter of conjecture.
-
an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.
-
a conjecture or opinion.
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See guess.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of surmise
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English surmisen, from Anglo-French surmis(e), Middle French “accused,” past participle of surmettre “to accuse,” from Latin supermittere “to throw upon,” from super super- + mittere “to let go, send”
Explanation
If you see empty ice cream containers on the table, sprinkles littering the ground, and a can of whipped cream in the trash, you can surmise what happened: someone made sundaes. To surmise is to form an opinion or make a guess about something. If you surmise that something is true, you don't have much evidence or knowledge about it. Near synonyms are guess, conjecture, and suppose. You might say, "I can't even surmise what he would do in such a situation." Surmise came to English from the French surmettre, "to accuse," which is formed from the prefix sur-, "on, upon," plus mettre, "to put" (from Latin mittere, "to send").
Vocabulary lists containing surmise
The Great Gatsby
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Grade 10, List 2
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Send a Message: Mit and Miss
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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.
When I surmise that the printed version of our conversation may have a lot of “redacted, redacted, redacted,” Peaches is quick to respond.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
One can only surmise that it is because he wants to gently remind us that confronting the challenges we now face—be they technical, social, economic or political—requires more than intellect, skill, charisma or treasure.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025
From what we can surmise, the baby is a device to showcase the nobility of the show’s male characters or lack thereof.
From Salon • Jul. 4, 2025
As my colleague Paul Roberts reported, experts in the retail sector surmise that North Face’s decision was a consequence of local challenges and the larger problems in the outdoor clothing sector.
From Seattle Times • May 24, 2024
We have now passed into the Bistritza; and if we are wrong in our surmise our chance is gone.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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.
