Synonyms for conjecture
- noun
- verb
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Supposition
supposition, surmise, guess, hypothesis, speculation, theory informal, theorem, assumption, postulate, wild guess, presumption, suspect, presupposition, estimate, divine, reckon, fancy, surmisal, opine
Other
Verb
suppose, speculate, theorize, theorise UK, presume, hypothesize UK US, hypothesise UK, hypothetise UK, hypothecate
Definitions
- n. 1
A statement or an idea which is unproven, but is thought to be true; a guess.
I explained it, but it is pure conjecture whether he understood, or not.
- v. 1
To guess; to venture an unproven idea.
I do not know if it is true; I am simply conjecturing here.
Related words
- Word family
- conjectural conjecturable
Forms
- Plural
- conjectures → suppositions, surmises, guesses, hypotheses…
- Past participle
- conjectured
e.g. conjectured → supposed, speculated, theorized, presumed…
Choose the right word
To conjecture is to put together the nearest available materials for a provisional opinion, always with some expectation of finding the facts to be as conjectured.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- guess I guess the time of reckoning has arrived at last.
- hypothesis Tom designed an experiment to test his hypothesis.
- surmise "What do you think of my theory?" "It is all surmise."
- supposition This supposition is essentially correct.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| conjecture | steady | |
| guess | rising | |
| hypothesis | steady | |
| surmise | steady | |
| supposition | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- guess1, fancy2, opine2
- 6 letters
- theory2, divine2, reckon2
- 7 letters
- suppose2, suspect2, theorem2, presume2, surmise2
- 8 letters
- estimate3, theorize3, theorise, surmisal
- 9 letters
- speculate3, postulate3
- 10 letters
- assumption3, hypothesis4
- 11 letters
- speculation4, presumption3, supposition4, hypothesize4, hypothesise, hypothecate, hypothetise
- 14 letters
- presupposition5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (fancy2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- conjecture
- Italiano
- congettura
- Español
- conjetura
- Deutsch
- Vermutung