guessing 1 of 2

Definition of guessingnext

guessing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of guess
1
2
as in estimating
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement I would guess the road goes for about two miles before you have to take a left

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

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 guessing
Noun
In leadership, that caution often shows up as second-guessing. Yann Dang, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Spam calls have turned the phone in your pocket into a daily guessing game. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026 There’s no guessing when a verdict will drop. Phil Hay, New York Times, 19 May 2026 And by then, finding the source can become an expensive guessing game. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026 But with these, there was no second-guessing needed. Sydney Pulaski, Glamour, 8 May 2026 But debating such topics is the lifeblood of the draft, which manufactures would-be experts for the kind of second-guessing that helps fuel rampant and often inaccurate speculation. Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 1 May 2026 The guessing or thinking something through was part of the fun. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026 The Advanced Account Security works by making a user’s account resistant to phishing messages, password guessing, and SIM swap attacks, which is how hackers usually crack online accounts. Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Bot gets 1 point for beating me but loses it for guessing in five. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 His ability to throw three different fastballs kept Seattle’s hitters guessing. Jaylon Thompson may 23, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026 No prizes for guessing the player with the most recent birthdate to represent the club in the top flight in this time. Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 May 2026 Support becomes less about guessing and more about understanding. Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 20 May 2026 Redistricting shouldn’t leave people guessing, residents deserve clarity, access, and confidence in who represents them and how to engage with county government. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026 The show kept audiences guessing all summer long until, at the beginning of season 10, it was revealed that the entirety of season nine was Pam's dream. Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 Like the game show, there’s some guessing and gut instinct that goes into finding the right price for a deal. Evan Clark, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025 Wearing a dress with a print that includes white can often leave people guessing. Maria Ward, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guessing
Noun
  • So unbound by realism, speculation became my portal.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
  • All of this comes after speculation about what prenup Swift and her soon-to-be-husband, Travis Kelce, could sign has started swirling.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Massamba Diop has one of the highest ceilings of any transfer, and Braden Huff returns with the best hook shot in college hoops (assuming JT Toppin doesn’t play this season).
    CJ Moore June 2, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • How data has helped root out discrimination The more imminent change, assuming the EEOC's proposals go forward, is the demise of the agency's annual collection of employee demographics.
    Andrea Hsu, NPR, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Many have done poorly at estimating the gap between a car that gives impressive drives and one ready to be a robotaxi.
    Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • Nonetheless, some banks remain bullish on the two firms’ prospects, with Nomura estimating SK Hynix stock to hit 4 million won and Samsung Electronics to reach 590,000 won over the next 12 months.
    Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 25 May 2026
Verb
  • When Quibi launched in April 2020 and went dark by December 2020, that failure caused a deep freeze among media companies thinking of launching short-form video content.
    Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
  • Another solution may simply be thinking about fertilizer differently, Biswas says.
    Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Even a middle school student would perceive a stark difference between someone who voices a bogus theory and someone who acts on it.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
  • In theory, that should be a straightforward fix.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • On May 28, 2023, Chow and his son, Andy Chow, pursued Cormack-Belton out of their Columbia, South Carolina, convenience store after suspecting him of shoplifting.
    Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
  • Three people suspecting in a series of pickpocket crimes in San Francisco's Chinatown were arrested over the weekend after a weeks-long investigation, police said Tuesday.
    Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • The very behaviors that created their success—stepping up, taking on more, figuring it out—are the same ones that eventually lead to overwhelm.
    Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • The eternally optimistic Canales still seems bullish on Legette figuring things out, but a disappointing start to the season could land him on the trading block by October.
    Joseph Person, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Verb
  • Both were driven by the same mistake of believing the narrative before proving the economics.
    Hebron Sher, Fortune, 29 May 2026
  • Doctors and health professionals also strongly supported changing the name, believing that the benefits would outweigh the risks.
    Melanie Cree, The Conversation, 29 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guessing. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on guessing

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster