conjecture 1 of 2

noun

kən-ˈjek-chər How to pronounce conjecture (audio)
Definition of conjecturenext
as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence the many conjectures about the true identity of Jack the Ripper

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conjecture

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement he conjectured that the theater could seat 1000 people more or less

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to guess
to form an opinion from little or no evidence you're only conjecturing that he was the culprit

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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 conjecture
Noun
Unique Games The unique games conjecture also falls under complexity theory. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026 But many of the implications of Khot’s original conjecture already followed from this 4-to-1 version — most notably, a new result about the difficulty of a classic graph-coloring problem that predates Khot’s work by decades. — Quanta Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
Humans propose conjectures, guided by intuition. — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 25 June 2026 To be more precise, Erdős conjectured that the number of unit distances would be n^(1+o(1)). — ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for conjecture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conjecture
  1. guess
  2. estimate
  3. assume
  4. theory
  5. figure
  6. suppose
  7. calculate
  8. suspect
Noun
  • Today’s puzzle took our testers an average of 5 guesses out of 6, or moderately challenging.
    — New York Times Games, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Getting a word with a small number of guesses is a source of pride for players.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Within an hour, the incident was estimated at about 35 acres, including various spot fires that erupted as winds pushed the flames forward.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • And Gartner estimates that 80% of neocloud providers will cease independent operations by 2030 because their revenues won’t cover their outgoings.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of estimate
Verb
  • The film follows a Polish burglar who assumes the identity of a dead stranger’s girlfriend, with unexpected results.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026
  • And, of course, anyone who remembers the optimistic hordes streaming up Michigan Avenue after Barack Obama made his victory speech for president of the United States in Grant Park well knows the local benefits of a Chicagoan assuming the presidency.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of assume
Noun
  • Framing theory explains how the presentation of information in the media influences the way people process and interpret it.
    — Heather LaMarre, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
  • His theory didn’t reach far beyond Japan until the translation of his original essay, first in 1978, then in 2005, and again, with Mori’s approval, in 2012.
    — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of theory
Verb
  • While the club also signed former Chief Justin Watson to the practice squad on Monday, Reid on Wednesday suggested Allen in particular will figure more in their plans now.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • All need to figure ways to get the ball to their star athletes on offense and prevent big plays on defense.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of figure
Verb
  • The three children and a teacher shot to death at Silver Rail Elementary School in central Oregon were in a classroom dedicated to students with special needs – an environment that’s supposed to be nurturing, safe and supportive.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • More problematic was the character’s heritage; he’s supposed to be half-English and half-Paraguayan, and to say Gere’s accent is inconsistent would be charitable.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppose
Verb
  • Policymakers and advocates have proposed alternatives to the CPI-W for calculating the annual COLA.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
  • When the drone flies near an object and a whisker grazes or bends against a surface, the pressure changes at the base are measured in under two milliseconds, enabling the drone to calculate contact location and depth with millimeter precision.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of calculate
Verb
  • The diagnosis had been suspected based on testing conducted before the procedure, according to the Holy See Press Office.
    — Angelica Stabile , Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Sacramento County sheriff’s detectives arrested two men Tuesday suspected of stealing cash during an armed robbery in August at a North Highlands smoke shop.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of suspect

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Cite this Entry

“Conjecture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conjecture. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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