as in guessed
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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Recent Examples of speculated
In a follow-up email the next day, the judge speculated to Pryor that the law clerk may have invented things in retaliation for being required to work in the office.
—
CBS News, 15 June 2026
The rich sensory innervation has led to its classification, in some people, as an erogenous zone; zoologist Desmond Morris famously speculated in The Naked Ape (1967) that earlobes evolved precisely as an additional zone of sensitivity to facilitate pair bonding in humans.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Interestingly, Ball speculated that some people concerned that AI poses existential risks to humanity, including perhaps the AI safety-minded employees at Anthropic itself, might welcome the government’s decision.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Former Commerce Department official Kate Koren speculated to the WSJ that the White House’s dislike of Anthropic may have influenced the decision.
—Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 13 June 2026
Many have speculated that her attendance served the dual purpose of allowing the singer to scout her wedding venue location.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Himes speculated that an earlier announcement on Clayton could have changed the dynamics in Congress regarding FISA.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
On Thursday, some tech websites speculated that the change took so long due to a larger update needed for Spotify’s iOS app.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
In the Veritasium video, Humphreys speculated that the Russians may have been testing the satellites’ GPS interference capabilities only briefly on a neighboring frequency adjacent to the typical GPS band.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 8 June 2026
CBS News, 15 June 2026
The rich sensory innervation has led to its classification, in some people, as an erogenous zone; zoologist Desmond Morris famously speculated in The Naked Ape (1967) that earlobes evolved precisely as an additional zone of sensitivity to facilitate pair bonding in humans.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Interestingly, Ball speculated that some people concerned that AI poses existential risks to humanity, including perhaps the AI safety-minded employees at Anthropic itself, might welcome the government’s decision.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Former Commerce Department official Kate Koren speculated to the WSJ that the White House’s dislike of Anthropic may have influenced the decision.
—Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 13 June 2026
Many have speculated that her attendance served the dual purpose of allowing the singer to scout her wedding venue location.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Himes speculated that an earlier announcement on Clayton could have changed the dynamics in Congress regarding FISA.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
On Thursday, some tech websites speculated that the change took so long due to a larger update needed for Spotify’s iOS app.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
In the Veritasium video, Humphreys speculated that the Russians may have been testing the satellites’ GPS interference capabilities only briefly on a neighboring frequency adjacent to the typical GPS band.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculated
Verb
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The satellite missed an offshore field, or read a neighbouring marsh as a leak, or simply guessed badly on a cloudy fortnight.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Laine guessed Helsinki, which took $807 from his total, to round him out at $2,793.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
This year, the United Arab Emirates was told its gas leaks less methane than everyone had assumed.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
When Perimenopause Actually Starts A February 2025 study in npj Women’s Health by UVA Health and Flo Health found perimenopausal symptoms starting much earlier than commonly assumed.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Russia condemned on Wednesday a European Union decision to authorize EU vessels in the Mediterranean to stop and inspect foreign ships suspected of being part of a shadow fleet transporting Russian oil.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
-
Experts recommend initiating treatment as soon as the disease is suspected rather than waiting for laboratory confirmation, as early intervention can improve outcomes.—
Victoria Forster,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The Iran team was originally supposed to be based in Tucson, Arizona.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Brunson, a second round pick in 2018, wasn’t supposed to be the best player on a championship team.—
Tim Casey,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Still, Henry says Musk has a way of clearing hurdles the industry thought impossible.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
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Hartmann’s summer 2026 product expansion can be thought of as a unified travel system, what with the pieces’ matching cotton-twill finishes, classic colorways like Ecru and Midnight Navy, and leather flourishes.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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But everyone has surmised all that information came out of her relationship with Vrabel.—
Armando Salguero,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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Patience tends to be a virtue with Fukada’s cinema, and it’s certainly required upfront, as the film takes its time in unraveling key connections between characters, while the nature of certain relationships must be surmised through cues of expression and body language.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Attorney Kenneth Swartz said it should be remembered that his client, Hill, is presumed innocent.—
Sofia Saric
June 11,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
-
Kloth and Norman are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speculated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculated. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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