How to Use second-guess in a Sentence

second-guess

verb
  • Smith doesn’t spend a lot of time second-guessing it.
    — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Don’t let second-guessing slow down your progress.
    — Usa Today, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Decisions like this are set up to be second-guessed.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • That pressure can make a smart person second-guess their gut.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • Say it, because there’s no reason to second-guess it!
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Counsell may be second-guessed by the masses.
    — Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The goal is to avoid second-guessing yourself.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
  • That pressure led her to second-guess herself.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
  • You’re done second-guessing your instincts and ready to stand ten toes down in your truth.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
  • Fans will love the trade at the time and then second-guess it when the other team has the star player.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • Gen Z have been second-guessing their choice to go to college for years.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Give yourself time to get over the second-guessing and try not to change the story.
    — Meredith Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
  • Oliver gives Lilly some key words that make her second-guess the plan.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
  • There will be plenty of second-guessing if the lineup takes a step back, though.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
  • No more case-by-case decisions that waste your time and leave you second-guessing.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • At this stage, knob twiddling and second-guessing often sets in.
    — Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 6 Feb. 2024
  • It should be praised and encouraged, not second-guessed or stifled.
    — Will Dunham, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
  • Scott wasn’t a man prone to second-guessing himself, but those doubts wouldn’t relent.
    — Chris Nashawaty, WIRED, 30 July 2024
  • Why dare to second-guess the desires of a generation not your own?
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2025
  • The point is clarity, which may reduce second-guessing and free up time for ideas.
    — Malana Vantyler, Ascend Agency, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Second, they are wired to please you in a way that does not turn off, does not get tired and does not second-guess itself.
    — Shreyans Mehta, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • The attacker on your network may not pause to sleep, strategize, or second-guess.
    — Philip Martin, Fortune, 29 May 2026
  • There’s no time to second-guess anything; people are mostly going with their first ideas.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The moon’s clash with Venus is to blame for second-guessing your departure.
    — Usa Today, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Contact center agents stop second-guessing their screens.
    — Sagi Eliyahu, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • But the government argued that judges shouldn’t second-guess agents doing their jobs.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • This could force hackers to second-guess their allies, and the anonymity of the dark web would become a threat.
    — Can Yildizli, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • When the whole look is wrinkle-resistant, there’s nothing to second-guess.
    — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026
  • There’s no second-guessing myself.
    — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Other people always will second-guess you.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'second-guess.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: