Meaning & use
second-guessing
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“second-guessing” is a form of “second-guess”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The act of doubting or criticizing your own decisions or actions after you have made them.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: 'all this second-guessing'. No plural form.
Patterns
- constant second-guessing
- second-guessing of something
- second-guessing yourself
After the meeting, her second-guessing made it hard to move forward.
The team's constant second-guessing slowed every decision.
He tried to avoid second-guessing his choice of career.
verbtransitive
Present participle of 'second-guess': to try to predict what someone will do or think, or to criticize someone's decisions with the benefit of hindsight.
Grammar: Takes an object: 'second-guessing the referee'. Often used in the continuous form.
Patterns
- second-guessing someone
- second-guessing something
- be second-guessing yourself
The coach was second-guessing the referee's decision all game.
She kept second-guessing her own judgment.
Stop second-guessing what they might want.
Word forms
| base form | second-guess |
|---|---|
| third person singular | second-guesses |
| past tense | second-guessed |
| past participle | second-guessed |
Common combinations
- constant second-guessing
- The constant second-guessing in the office created a tense atmosphere.
- second-guessing yourself
- You need to stop second-guessing yourself and trust your instincts.
- second-guessing someone's motives
- He was second-guessing his colleague's motives without any evidence.
- a lot of second-guessing
- There was a lot of second-guessing after the project failed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- doubt
- Doubt is a general feeling of uncertainty; second-guessing is more active, often involving repeated criticism of a past choice.
- hindsight
- Hindsight is understanding after an event; second-guessing is the act of using that understanding to question decisions.
- self-doubt
- Self-doubt is a lack of confidence in yourself; second-guessing focuses on specific decisions or actions.
Opposites
Word family
- second-guess verb
- To predict or criticize with hindsight.
- second-guesser noun
- A person who often second-guesses.
Commonly confused: second-guessing or second guess?
second-guessing vs second guess
As a noun phrase, 'second guess' is not standard; the noun is 'second-guessing' or 'a second guess' (meaning an additional attempt). The verb is 'second-guess' with a hyphen.
Practice
After the interview, she spent hours ______ whether she had said the right thing.
Choose one answer.
The phrase 'spent hours' is followed by an -ing form, so 'second-guessing' is correct. 'Second-guess' is the base form and would need 'spend hours second-guess' (incorrect); 'to second-guess' would need 'spent hours to second-guess' (not standard after 'spend time'); 'second-guessed' is past tense and does not fit after 'spent hours'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “second-guessing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.