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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The discovery matched a conjecture that Erdős and Szekeres had put forth as young men. — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026 Some of the conjecture stemmed from photos of the Black teen, Nolan Wells, surrounded by White friends while on a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island, a popular holiday destination off the Mississippi coast. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
Suspicion fell on Shiite families, though many dismissed these conjectures; in Ain el-Mreisseh, people know their neighbors. — Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026 Or, in some cases with Goodman, might lie within the realm of fantasy, delusion, and conjecture? — Literary Hub, 13 May 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
  • Markets will certainly try to anticipate Fed actions, based on economic data and our guess about how the Fed will respond to new data.
    — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Whether or not the man who lost his three children will continue to be abused online is anyone’s guess.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Prosecutors alleged that Donna was one of the masterminds behind Markel’s murder, helping to fund the contract killing, which was estimated to cost even more than $100,000, according to court documents obtained by CNN.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • National debt service is estimated to account for more than 25% of government expenses for fiscal year 2026.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of estimate
Verb
  • Goldman’s model assumes SMIC will add between 30,000 and 50,000 advanced-node wafers in monthly capacity each year from 2026 through 2031.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Golden Tempo, meanwhile, assumed his position near the back of the field as his deep closing style has delivered huge glory in the past.
    — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of assume
Noun
  • The lipstick index is an economic theory holding that sales of affordable discretionary spending or luxuries skyrocket when consumers believe an economic recession is impending.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Turing’s theory of computation wasn’t really about computers, at least not at first.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of theory
Verb
  • If Baylor opens up, Kinne figures to be an attractive option.
    — Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That history figured prominently in comments from Chairman and CEO Russell Ford during the opening.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of figure
Verb
  • In that time, three technologies have arrived that were each supposed to make human support teams unnecessary.
    — Antony P Gregory, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • It’s supposed to be scrubbed of personally identifiable markers, but how deep will that go?
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppose
Verb
  • As a result, organizations may struggle to monitor applications, track certification status and calculate available credits.
    — Paul Toomey, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Land facing uphill and one spine engages; land facing downhill and the other does the job without the need for a pilot to calculate the perfect approach angle.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of calculate
Verb
  • Federal authorities have criminally charged some traders suspected of using insider information to profit on sites, but the cases have mostly started with referrals from Kalshi and its main competitor, Polymarket.
    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But Khalatian said many of them, including himself, didn’t suspect the stench was coming from the landfill.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of suspect

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conjecture
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Cite this Entry

“Conjecture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conjecture. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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