speculation

noun

spec·​u·​la·​tion ˌspe-kyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce speculation (audio)
Synonyms of speculation
: an act or instance of speculating: such as
a
: assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain
b
: a transaction involving such speculation

Synonyms of speculation

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Examples of speculation in a Sentence

He dismissed their theories as mere speculation. The book is just a lot of idle speculation about the future. Her speculations leave many questions unanswered. He lost everything in foolish land speculation.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Each new release of a frontier AI model, such as Anthropic’s Mythos or OpenAI’s Astra, brings a new wave of speculation over how much closer this takes us to artificial general intelligence (AGI) and how much further that lofty goal remains. — Noah Giansiracusa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026 Last weekend's loss was ugly enough that speculation started immediately afterward that Sam Darnold might be in danger of losing his starting job to Drew Lock. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Firing Riley now would leave athletic director Jen Cohen in a similarly tough position, with months of speculation surrounding a high-pressure search. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 That’s left a vacuum that invites endless speculation and interpretation of what’s happening out of view. — Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speculation

Word History

Etymology

Middle English speculacioun "contemplation, reasoning, theorizing," borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French speculacion "observation, abstract thinking, theorizing," borrowed from Late Latin speculātiōn-, speculātiō "observation point, speculative thought," from Latin speculārī "to keep a close watch on, observe" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at speculate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speculation was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing speculation

Rhymes for speculation

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Browse Nearby Words

speculate
speculation
speculatist
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Cite this Entry

“Speculation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speculation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

speculation

noun
spec·​u·​la·​tion ˌspek-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce speculation (audio)
1
: thoughts or guesses about something
much speculation about who the new teacher would be
2
: the taking of a big risk in business in hopes of making a big profit

Legal Definition

speculation

noun
spec·​u·​la·​tion ˌspe-kyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce speculation (audio)
: an act or instance of speculating: as
a
: assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain
b
: a transaction involving such speculation

More from Merriam-Webster on speculation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speculation

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