SPECULATING Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

speculating

verb

present participle of speculate

as in guessing

to form an opinion from little or no evidence I speculate that someone has been using this cabin as a trysting place

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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 speculating Some social media users are speculating that his health challenge in the spring could have triggered last week’s event. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 The remark appeared to refer to a recent What’s The Dirt video speculating that Roc Nation had played some role in the federal class action targeting Drake and Stake. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026 And there was that period earlier this year when everybody was speculating about whether Natalie was based on Hannah Neeleman, who runs Ballerina Farm. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026 Locals and tourists liken the stunt to a David Blaine spectacle, snapping photos, speculating about the man’s comforts and, crucially for Netflix, vowing to watch the movie behind the buzz. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Hilton, who is gay, at times also made a sport out of speculating about people’s sexuality, including some that later came out publicly. — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Disparaging remarks are defined as using personal insults, ad hominem attacks or attacks on a person’s character, or speculating on a person’s motivations. — Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 7 Aug. 2026 In this information vacuum, pandemic experts were left speculating about the origin of the disease. — David J. Hunter, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026 All that may be a mystery for the future, but worth speculating about because the Jays’ biggest opening post-deadline is in center field. — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculating

Verb

The bot loses a point for losing to me and another for guessing in five!

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
The notion of luck is seemingly an ill fit for his new home state, where fortunes were made by guessing where to drill a hole into the ground in search of oil.

— Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of guessing

Verb

His immediate tasks since assuming the top job have been sustaining momentum in Disney's core growth areas, namely its theme parks and streaming divisions.

— Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
In a sense, the proof shows that a world in which love never returns is a world whose geometry tears itself apart—assuming, of course, the proof holds up.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of assuming

Verb

In the r/Solidcore subreddit, one expressed frustration with the fitness studio’s lack of communication after suspecting their ringworm infection came from the Downtown Brooklyn location.

— Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Oceanside Police Captain Nick Nunez told KNSD that officers are not suspecting foul play.

— Adam England, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

Definition of suspecting

Verb

More recently, other experts have advised American farmers to go all out growing soybeans, supposing they will be needed by the Chinese or somebody.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Even supposing the pledges in the 1990s documents amounted to a crime, the legal deadline for bringing mortgage fraud charges has expired.

— Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025

Definition of supposing

Verb

Robbie Ray was already thinking about his next start after exiting Friday’s Padres debut after five innings of four-run ball.

— Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
RVers get creative Everyone is thinking about fuel costs these days, but that hasn’t stopped people from taking RV trips.

— Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 11 Aug. 2026