dead reckoning

noun

Definition of dead reckoningnext
as in theory

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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 dead reckoning They are discovered well beyond the bounds of the strategic map, where the winds shift, the old answers sink, and the pilot must find the way by dead reckoning. — Jeff Degraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 The principle is a very old and simple one called dead reckoning – a very basic skill used by tyro sailors and nuclear submarine commanders. — New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025 But for longitude, navigators had to rely on dead reckoning that was subject to errors. — Tim Bajarin, Forbes, 28 Apr. 2021 There is also straightforward dead reckoning and inertial navigation. — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2021 The vehicle could still work out position updates using rotary encoders attached to its wheels—following a general strategy that sailors used for centuries, called dead reckoning. — Shaoshan Liu, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead reckoning
  1. theory
  2. speculation
  3. hypothetical
  4. hypothesis
  5. thesis
  6. guessing
Noun
  • Pike didn’t always have such a cogent theory of the power of the body in performance.
    — Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The idea that the absence of private property and systematic inequality automatically removes coercion—which forms the core of the Marxist theory of history—is not proven.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of theory
Noun
  • 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
Definition of speculation
Noun
  • The anti-immigrant movement reduces kids to constitutional hypotheticals and demographic statistics.
    — Hannah Harshe, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
  • When asked about why voters should choose him over Vance, who is seen as the GOP’s likeliest presidential candidate, Kennedy did not wade into hypotheticals.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of hypothetical
Noun
  • Consistent with their hypothesis, the secretion signal helps transfer the enzyme out of the cell, while the lipid anchor holds it near the cell surface.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • But there are indirect consequences of the Many Worlds hypothesis that could lend the idea credibility.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of hypothesis
Noun
  • Michael Monaghan, portfolio manager at Founder ETFs, says that's part of the investment thesis.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Written in Latin, the theses were relatively tentative in tone, consisting of 95 short propositions—most just a sentence or two.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of thesis
Noun
  • The dynamic of a tough running game keeps the defense guessing, and that’s really all the Chiefs need to be deadly.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • There’s outward social and internalized pressure on the Dashwood sisters to marry, and do it quickly, but per any Austen tale, the path is blotchy and blocked by obstacles and second-guessing.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of guessing

Browse Nearby Words

dead presidents
dead reckoning
dead reckonings
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Cite this Entry

“Dead reckoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead%20reckoning. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dead reckoning

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dead reckoning

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