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
To be more precise, Erdős conjectured that the number of unit distances would be n^(1+o(1)). — ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026 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 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
  • Its price is estimated between £35,000-55,000 ($46,000-72,500).
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The University of Iowa in March estimated by the end of 2026 there will be 21,700 new cancer diagnoses in the state and 6,400 new cancer deaths.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of estimate
Verb
  • But do not automatically assume the least expensive option is right for you.
    — Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Those numbers assume the S&P 500 returns more than 10% a year without interruption for 55 years.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of assume
Noun
  • Some universities have a long standing tradition of continually testing students’ ability to explain and rationalise their theories.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The defense said the government’s theory is unsupported and urged the judge to dismiss the charges.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of theory
Verb
  • The screening’s reception was so strong that nearly every major player entered the fray, driving the bidding to figures the indie distributor simply couldn’t turn down.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • French productions and talent still often figure highly in the awards season winning prizes outside of the international feature category.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of figure
Verb
  • For his safety, the former water treatment plant operator isn’t supposed to be on the dock after dark.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • In the meantime, are we supposed to enjoy the Winston experience?
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppose
Verb
  • The group compared water bills in 2025 to 2015, calculating the annual amount for a typical household using 60,000 gallons of water indoors, or about 50 gallons per person per day.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Integral members of American society, whose absence contributes to financial and psychological damage to other Americans—typically children—in ways yet to be calculated.
    — Daniel Peña, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of calculate
Verb
  • El Sayed argued that the technology needed federal oversight, while Rogers advocated local oversight but defended the use of some surveillance processes in identifying people suspected of terrorism.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Why Missouri police like ALPRs The Missouri Department of Public Safety argues that ALPRs are vital to making Missouri safer, touting the technology as a way to quickly identify vehicles suspected to be involved in criminal activity.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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