speculation
noun
spec·u·la·tion
ˌspe-kyə-ˈlā-shən 
: an act or instance of speculating: such as
a
: assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain
b
: a transaction involving such speculation
Synonyms
Examples of speculation in a Sentence
He dismissed their theories as mere speculation.
The book is just a lot of idle speculation about the future.
Her speculations leave many questions unanswered.
He lost everything in foolish land speculation.
Recent Examples on the Web
When asked about whether this kind of speculation will bear any fruit, Schaeffer laughs.
—
Adam B. Vary, Variety, 23 Sep. 2024
The series came to an end after six seasons, 51 Emmy nominations (including a 2005 win for Outstanding Drama Series), and years of rabid internet fan speculation.
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 21 Sep. 2024
The Dutch bank, which was also bailed out during the 2008 financial crisis by the state, has been the subject of acquisition speculation.
—April Roach, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2024
Trying to predict the impact of a child allowance decades into the future is always going to be a balancing act of ambiguity and speculation.
—Oshan Jarow, Vox, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for speculation 
Adam B. Vary, Variety, 23 Sep. 2024
The series came to an end after six seasons, 51 Emmy nominations (including a 2005 win for Outstanding Drama Series), and years of rabid internet fan speculation.
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 21 Sep. 2024
The Dutch bank, which was also bailed out during the 2008 financial crisis by the state, has been the subject of acquisition speculation.
—April Roach, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2024
Trying to predict the impact of a child allowance decades into the future is always going to be a balancing act of ambiguity and speculation.
—Oshan Jarow, Vox, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for speculation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speculation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near speculation
Cite this Entry
“Speculation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speculation. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
speculation
noun
spec·u·la·tion
ˌspek-yə-ˈlā-shən
1
: thoughts or guesses about something
much speculation about who the new teacher would be
2
: the taking of a big risk in business in hopes of making a big profit
Legal Definition
speculation
noun
spec·u·la·tion
ˌspe-kyə-ˈlā-shən
: an act or instance of speculating: as
a
: assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain
b
: a transaction involving such speculation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share