Speculate

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈspɛkjəˌleɪt/

Definitions of speculate

verb to engage in thought or reflection; to make guesses or hypotheses about something without having definite knowledge

Example Sentences

A1 I speculate that it will rain tomorrow.

A2 She speculated about what the future holds for her career.

B1 The detective speculated on who the culprit could be.

B2 Scientists are speculating about the potential impact of climate change.

C1 Economists speculate on the possible outcomes of the new trade agreement.

C2 Political analysts speculate on the motives behind the recent government decision.

Examples of speculate in a Sentence

formal It is not appropriate to speculate on the outcome of the investigation without concrete evidence.

informal I can only speculate about what might happen next in this situation.

slang I heard some people speculating about who will win the game tonight.

figurative She liked to speculate on the possibilities of the future, like a dreamer lost in thought.

Grammatical Forms of speculate

past tense

speculated

plural

speculates

comparative

more speculative

superlative

most speculative

present tense

speculate

future tense

will speculate

perfect tense

has speculated

continuous tense

is speculating

singular

speculate

positive degree

speculate

infinitive

to speculate

gerund

speculating

participle

speculating

Origin and Evolution of speculate

First Known Use: 1599 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'speculate' originated from the Latin word 'speculatus', which means to observe or watch closely.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'speculate' evolved to also mean to engage in risky financial transactions or to form a theory without firm evidence.