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 Frank Sierawski didn't set out to discover a multibillion-dollar market for speculating on when people with life insurance policies will die. — Vito Emanuel, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026 That’s not all—sources were even speculating whether Harry and Meghan would stay together. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 20 Aug. 2026 Does Michael Crichton still write a 1990 novel speculating about what this would be like? — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 But some have been speculating that the restriction is related to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculating

Verb

That’s 1 point for me immediately taken away for losing to the Bot, who gets 2 for guessing in two and 1 for beating me.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
But will the new Fed boss keep investors guessing on the central bank’s rate path and his views on the Treasury’s intervention in the bond market?

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of guessing

Verb

Coronated at age 3 after his father’s death, the curious boy king in colorful robes mesmerized world leaders and ruled through regents until assuming full authority at 18.

— Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
At those levels, assuming no additional charges, paying off the debt while making minimum payments could take nearly 27 years and cost nearly $13,000 in interest alone, according to Bankrate's credit card calculator.

— Mike Winters, CNBC, 27 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