Meaning & use
speculate
To form an opinion or guess about something without having complete or certain knowledge.
See it in a sentence
Reporters began to speculate about the reasons behind the sudden resignation.
Investors speculated that the company's stock would rise sharply after the merger.
A note on using this word
In finance, to speculate means to take a financial risk hoping for gain, a narrower sense than the general 'to guess.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To invest in stocks, property, or other assets in the hope of profiting from price changes, despite the risk of loss.
He speculated on cryptocurrency, hoping the price would double within the year.
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