SPECULATED Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

speculated

verb

past tense of speculate

as in guessed

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 speculated Love was unclear on the reasons for her volte-face, but speculated that Sky had failed to convince Bake Off stars like Paul Hollywood to make the switch. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026 Kennedy speculated that the deaths in Samoa may have been caused by issues with different vaccine lots. — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Some have speculated that, given the specific cliffhanger ending details of both films, a new film could tie up threads from both Covenant and Romulus. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 At the time of the arrest, many royal observers speculated about Harry and Meghan’s reaction, especially since they had often been portrayed as the family villains. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026 Buckley then speculated about what may have been going through Simon’s mind before the crash. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 While the original early renderings speculated that the shoe would use a black-and-orange colorway, the official look confirms a bold red shade in place of orange for a Black/Picante Red combination. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026 Some championed the brand’s decision to embrace the category, and expected other brands to soon follow suit, while others speculated that Rolex and its retail partners could struggle as a result of intense price competition in the secondary market. — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026 Some speculated that Burke had killed his sister because of jealousy or that the two had fought over a late-night snack of pineapple and that Burke had fatally struck her with an object. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculated

Verb

One person in the audience counted seven bidders and guessed that anyone serious about winning would have been advised to go way, way above the estimate.

— Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026
Abdeen guessed that they were drawn to the familiar symbols that the Masons borrowed from what the French had dubbed the Orient, such as the tarboosh, a brimless and tasselled hat.

— Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of guessed

Verb

At the extreme upper end, the study found that a maximum possible prevalence of CTE — if researchers assumed that every former football player had CTE except for the 20 whose brains had definitively been cleared of a diagnosis — was around 97%.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Taylor has quickly assumed a leadership role, with her coach using her as an example of expectations.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of assumed

Verb

The Sacramento Police Department will hold a DUI checkpoint Friday night to identify drivers suspected of being impaired by alcohol or drugs.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Medical experts at the time suspected her death was caused by a brain abnormality that ruptured because of the intensity of the ride.

— Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of suspected

Verb

Only one person in this friend group is knowingly connected to a violent cult, so are we supposed to view him as a potential suspect?

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
The couple, who met at a laundromat on Parton’s first day in Nashville in 1964 and eloped two years later on May 30, 1966, were originally supposed to have a much bigger ceremony.

— Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of supposed

Verb

The researchers surmised that the diets people ate in countries like Italy, Greece and Croatia had a protective effect on their hearts.

— Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 25 Aug. 2026
One person surmised that Patrick Mahomes also has an unlimited amount of his favorite condiment.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026