Speculate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈspe-kyə-ˌlāt/ spec·u·late

Meaning & Definition of Speculate

Speculate (verb)

  1. to meditate on or ponder a subject, reflect
  2. to review something idly or casually and often inconclusively
  3. to assume a business risk in hope of gain; especially, to make a relatively risky investment in something (such as stocks or real estate) in the hope of making a large short-term profit from market fluctuations

Speculate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to form an opinion from little or no evidence

    "I speculate that someone has been using this cabin as a trysting place"

    similar: assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, presume, suppose, surmise, suspect, suspicion (chiefly dialect)
    related: conclude, deduce, gather, infer, hypothecate, hypothesize, theorize, believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon (chiefly dialect), take, think
    near: demonstrate, document, establish, prove, substantiate, validate, ascertain, determine, find out, learn

Related Entry: Speculate (about) (verb)

Speculate (about) is a different word from Speculate. The synonyms below are for speculate (about), not for speculate.

  1. as in second-guess

    similar: second-guess, conclude, reason, brood (about or over), dwell (on or upon), fixate (on or upon), fret (about or over), obsess (about or over), analyze, explore, review, believe, conceive, opine, muse (upon), reflect (on or upon), reminisce, absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in), chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, entertain, eye, kick around, meditate, mull (over), perpend, ponder, pore (over), question, revolve, ruminate, study, think (about or over), turn, weigh, wrestle (with)
    opposite: disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, dismiss, pooh-pooh, reject

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Speculate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Speculate:

Chiefly dialect: suspicion
assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, presume, suppose, surmise, suspect

Related Words for Speculate

conclude, deduce, gather, infer, hypothecate, hypothesize, theorize, believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon, take, think

Near Antonyms of Speculate

demonstrate, document, establish, prove, substantiate, validate, ascertain, determine, find out, learn

Word Forms of Speculate

Inflections: speculated, speculating

Origin & Etymology of Speculate

Latin speculatus, past participle of speculari to spy out, examine, from specula lookout post, from specere to look, look at spy

First known use: 1599i

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Speculate

Frequently Asked Questions about Speculate

What does "Speculate" mean?

"Speculate" means to meditate on or ponder a subject, reflect. As a verb, it is defined as: to meditate on or ponder a subject, reflect.

What is another word for "Speculate"?

Other words for "Speculate" include assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, presume, suppose and surmise. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Speculate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Speculate"?

There are 24 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Speculate". Common alternatives include assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, presume, suppose, surmise, suspect and suspicion.

How do you use "Speculate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Speculate" in a sentence: "I speculate that someone has been using this cabin as a trysting place".

Is "Speculate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Speculate" is a verb.

Is "Speculate" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Speculate" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Speculate"?

"Speculate" is pronounced /ˈspe-kyə-ˌlāt/ and divided into syllables as spec·u·late.

What is the origin of the word "Speculate"?

"Speculate" comes from Latin speculatus, past participle of speculari to spy out, examine, from specula lookout post, from specere to look, look at spy. First known use: 1599i.