speculate meaning and definition

SPECULATE verb

Definition of speculate (verb)

1. to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
   • "Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps"
   • synonyms: conjecture, hypothecate, hypothesise, hypothesize, suppose, theorise, theorize
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"
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, contemplate, excogitate, meditate, mull, mull over, muse, ponder, reflect, ruminate, think over
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