guesswork

noun

guess·​work ˈges-ˌwərk 

: work performed or results obtained by guess : conjecture

Examples of guesswork in a Sentence

Calculating the drug's long-term effects is pure guesswork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Give away the pricing calculator that removes the guesswork from package creation. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

This kind of machine takes all the guesswork out of weighing beans, grinding them to just the right consistency, and dialing in a shot. —Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 July 2025

Freeman’s goal was to transform a Hollywood where top studio execs for decades had used little more than hunches about what audiences may like into an industry where market research and numbers replaced gut instinct and guesswork. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025

The smart reminders in the app make life easier and ensure your cat stays consistently hydrated without the daily guesswork. —Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 10 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for guesswork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

guesswork

noun

guess·​work -ˌwərk 

: work performed or results gotten by guessing