second-guess

verb

sec·​ond-guess ˌse-kᵊŋ-ˈges 

-kən(d)-

second-guessed; second-guessing; second-guesses

transitive verb

1

: to criticize or question actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known

meet almost every morning and, over coffee, second-guess the local coach

—Bruce Newman

also : to engage in such criticism of (an action or decision)

second-guess the general's strategy

2

: to seek to anticipate or predict

lived royally by his ability to second-guess the stock market

—Time

second-guesser noun

Examples of second-guess in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s not a lot of hand-wringing or second-guessing. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024

But because the Arizona call presaged Trump’s defeat, Fox was scolded and second-guessed by many of its own viewers, including the sitting president. —Brian Stelter, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024

But the site appeared to second-guess the decision. —Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024

Toward the end of the journey, my second-guessing snowballed into a crisis of conscience. —Chris Wallace, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

second-guess

verb

sec·​ond-guess

ˌsek-ᵊŋ-ˈges,

-ən-

1

: to question or criticize actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known

2

: predict

second-guesser noun