speculate meaning

speculate as a verb

1. to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
   • Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps

   Synonyms: theorize, theorise, conjecture, hypothesize, hypothesise, hypothecate, suppose

   Type of: expect

   Kinds: reconstruct, explicate

   Related forms: speculative, speculation, speculator

2. talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion
   • We were speculating whether the President had to resign after the scandal

   Type of: reason

   Kinds: guess, suppose

   Related forms: speculative, speculation, speculator

3. reflect deeply on a subject
   • I mulled over the events of the afternoon
   • philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years
   • The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate

   Synonyms: chew over, think over, meditate, ponder, excogitate, contemplate, muse, reflect, mull, mull over, ruminate

   Type of: think

   Kinds: premeditate, theologize, introspect, bethink, cogitate, wonder, puzzle, study

   Related forms: speculative, speculation

4. invest at a risk
   • I bought this house not because I want to live in it but to sell it later at a good price, so I am speculating

   Synonyms: job

   Type of: invest

   Kinds: bull

   Related forms: speculative, speculation, speculator

How to pronounce speculate

speculate is pronounced /ˈspɛkjəleɪt/ in American English. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.