guesswork

noun

Definition of guessworknext
as in speculation
the act or process of finding an answer by guessing This book takes the guesswork out of buying a home. Calculating the drug's long-term effects is pure guesswork.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of guesswork Predictable routines take the guesswork out of a stressful hour. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The best omelet pans take the guesswork out of the cooking process. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Taking all of the guesswork out of getting ready for the day, this sleeveless to-the-knee dress has racked up over 2,500 reviews from shoppers who swear by its relaxed fit and versatility. — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 Ahead, 9 celebrity shorts outfits that take the guesswork out of warm-weather outfitting. — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for guesswork
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guesswork
  1. speculation
  2. inference
  3. conjecture
  4. theory
Noun
  • The Netherlands international only moved to the Etihad Stadium a year ago but his future is the subject of speculation following the arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As engagement-farming social-media accounts like Pop Base and celebrity-gossip accounts such as Deuxmoi still post frequent updates of celebrity sightings and speculation, the type of blanketing gossip press that Hilton introduced now spares no one.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of speculation
Noun
  • However, rocket watchers have made a few inferences from the limited available information.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The model uses that demonstration as context at inference time rather than updating its parameters through another training cycle.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of inference
Noun
  • Proving this conjecture would show that waves experiencing chaos move in ways that look surprising and random at small scales but are simple at the macroscopic level.
    — Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The discovery matched a conjecture that Erdős and Szekeres had put forth as young men.
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of conjecture
Noun
  • Quanta spoke with Cao about evidence for the programmed theory of aging, what happens at each stage, and why aging mammals are like trees shedding leaves.
    — Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The sheriff's office also sought to rebut theories that had circulated publicly about the case, including claims that evidence was missing or the crime scene had been manipulated.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of theory

Browse Nearby Words

guesstimating
guesswork
guest
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Cite this Entry

“Guesswork.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guesswork. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of guesswork for Spanish Speakers

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