Guess Definition and Meaning
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Published on December 21, 2025
Guess refers to form an opinion or conclusion about something without having sufficient information to be certain. e.g., I guess he's late because of the traffic.
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Guess Definitions
To make an assumption about something unknown.
He guessed her age to be around 30.
To select an answer when uncertain or lacking knowledge.
On the multiple-choice test, he had to guess a few answers.
To infer or deduce with little information.
From her tone, I could guess that she was upset.
To ascertain by conjecture or gut feeling.
I guess that they will arrive by noon.
To predict (a result or an event) without sufficient information.
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To assume, presume, or assert (a fact) without sufficient information.
To form a correct estimate or conjecture of
Guessed the answer.
To suppose; think
I guess he was wrong.
To make an estimate or conjecture
We could only guess at her motives.
To estimate or conjecture correctly.
An act or instance of guessing.
A conjecture arrived at by guessing.
To reach a partly (or totally) unqualified conclusion.
To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly.
He who guesses the riddle shall have the ring.
To suppose (introducing a proposition of uncertain plausibility).
That album is quite hard to find, but I guess you could try ordering it online.
(colloquial) To think, conclude, or decide (without a connotation of uncertainty). Usually in first person: "I guess".
"I guess you were right." "What did he say?" "He guesses you were right."
"I guess I'll go to bed."
(obsolete) To hit upon or reproduce by memory.
A prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.
If you don't know the answer, take a guess.
To form an opinion concerning, without knowledge or means of knowledge; to judge of at random; to conjecture.
First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess.
To judge or form an opinion of, from reasons that seem preponderating, but are not decisive.
We may then guess how far it was from his design.
Of ambushed men, whom, by their arms and dress,To be Taxallan enemies I guess.
To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly; as, he who guesses the riddle shall have the ring; he has guessed my designs.
To hit upon or reproduce by memory.
Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them.
To think; to suppose; to believe; to imagine; - followed by an objective clause.
Not all together; better far, I guess,That we do make our entrance several ways.
But in known images of life I guessThe labor greater.
To make a guess or random judgment; to conjecture; - with at, about, etc.
This is the place, as well as I may guess.
An opinion as to anything, formed without sufficient or decisive evidence or grounds; an attempt to hit upon the truth by a random judgment; a conjecture; a surmise.
A poet must confessHis art 's like physic - but a happy guess.
A message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
An estimate based on little or no information
Expect, believe, or suppose;
I imagine she earned a lot of money with her new novel
I thought to find her in a bad state
He didn't think to find her in the kitchen
I guess she is angry at me for standing her up
Put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation;
I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again
I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong
Judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time);
I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds
Guess correctly; solve by guessing;
He guessed the right number of beans in the jar and won the prize
To estimate or suppose something without sufficient information to be certain.
Can you guess how much this costs?
To predict an outcome based on intuition rather than evidence.
She guessed that it would rain later.
To hypothesize or make predictions with limited data.
The scientist guessed at the possible outcomes of the experiment.
To solve or attempt to solve a problem by conjecture.
They had to guess the password to access the files.
To speculate about the truth of something.
We can only guess at what the future holds.
To make a random or informed choice among options.
If you don't know the answer, just take a guess.
Guess Snonyms
Speculate
To form a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.
Investors like to speculate on the stock market's next move.
Estimate
To form an approximate judgment or opinion regarding the worth, amount, size, weight, etc., of something.
She estimated the crowd to be over two thousand.
Conjecture
To form an opinion or supposition about something on the basis of incomplete information.
His conclusion was based on conjecture rather than fact.
Suppose
To assume something without proof.
Let's suppose for a moment that you're right.
Presume
To take for granted, assume, or suppose.
I presume you'll be attending the meeting?
Hazard
To guess randomly or with minimal data.
He hazarded a guess as to the outcome of the game.
Infer
To deduce or conclude information from evidence and reasoning rather than explicit statements.
From the footprints, she inferred that a large dog had passed through the garden.
Assume
To take as a given; to suppose without proof.
Let's assume the project is approved.
Surmise
To think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess.
He surmised that something must be wrong.
Predict
To declare or indicate in advance; especially, to foretell based on observation, experience, or scientific reason.
Based on the data, he predicted a 75% chance of rain.
Guess Idioms & Phrases
Second-guess
To question decisions or actions already taken.
It's not helpful to second-guess yourself after the choices have been made.
Anyone's guess
Something that is very uncertain or unpredictable.
When he'll finally arrive is anyone's guess.
Guess what
Used to introduce something surprising or exciting.
Guess what! I got the job!
I guess
Used to express agreement or acquiescence, often reluctantly.
I guess I can see your point.
Your guess is as good as mine
Said when you do not know the answer to a question.
Where did she go? Your guess is as good as mine.
Just a guess
Indicating that something is only a speculative idea.
It's just a guess, but I think the meeting will be postponed.
Guess again
Used to indicate that someone's guess is incorrect.
If you think I'm going to let you cheat, guess again!
Educated guess
A guess that is made using judgment and a certain amount of knowledge.
My educated guess is that the economy will improve by next quarter.
Not by any guess
Without any doubt or uncertainty.
She knew, not by any guess, but from experience.
Beyond a guess
Beyond what can be assumed or speculated.
What happens next is beyond a guess.
Wild guess
A guess made with little or no reason or evidence.
His prediction was just a wild guess.
Take a guess
To make a guess about something.
Take a guess at how old this building might be.
Outguess
To surpass in guessing; to make a better guess than.
He managed to outguess the competition in the quiz.
Pure guess
A guess made without any substantial evidence or reasoning.
His choice was a pure guess.
Make a guess
To hypothesize about something.
Make a guess about the number of candies in the jar.
More than a guess
An opinion based on strong indicators or evidence.
It's more than a guess; I'm almost certain of it.
Safe guess
A guess that is likely to be correct.
It's a safe guess that they'll agree to the terms.
Guess Example Sentences
Can you guess where I left my keys?
They played a game where everyone had to guess the riddle.
If you don't know the answer, just make a guess.
It's hard to guess his intentions.
It's anyone's guess how the new policy will affect us.
Can you guess what I'm thinking?
I had to guess the combination to unlock the safe.
Don't just guess; try to find out the facts.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
She made an educated guess based on the clues.
Common Curiosities
How is guess used in a sentence?
"Guess" is used as a verb to indicate forming an opinion or conclusion without certain knowledge. e.g., Can you guess how old I am?
What is a stressed syllable in guess?
The stressed syllable in "guess" is the single syllable itself: guess.
How many syllables are in guess?
Guess has one syllable.
What is the first form of guess?
The first form of "guess" is "guess."
Why is it called guess?
The term "guess" comes from the Middle English word "gessen," meaning to estimate or suppose, which is derived from a Scandinavian source similar to the Swedish "gissa."
What part of speech is guess?
Guess is a verb.
What is the singular form of guess?
As a verb, "guess" does not have a singular or plural form; it remains "guess" regardless of the subject.
How do we divide guess into syllables?
Guess is divided into syllables as: guess.
What is the third form of guess?
The third form of "guess" is also "guessed."
Is guess a noun or adjective?
"Guess" is primarily a verb, but it can also function as a noun, as in making a guess.
What is the verb form of guess?
"Guess" is the base form of the verb. The past tense and past participle form is "guessed," and the present participle is "guessing."
What is the pronunciation of guess?
Guess is pronounced as /ɡɛs/.
What is the root word of guess?
The root of "guess" is the Middle English word "gessen," which itself likely comes from Scandinavian sources.
What is the opposite of guess?
The opposite of "guess" could be "know" or "ascertain," which imply having certain knowledge rather than making an assumption.
Which determiner is used with guess?
When "guess" is used as a noun, common determiners such as "a" or "the" can be used, e.g., "Take a guess."
Is the word guess imperative?
"Guess" can be used in an imperative form, often in casual conversation or games, as in "Guess what happened today!"
Is the word “guess” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Guess" as a verb can take a direct object, as in "Guess the answer." It is not an indirect object.
What is the second form of guess?
The second form of "guess" is "guessed."
What is another term for guess?
Another term for "guess" is "speculate."
What is the plural form of guess?
"Guess" does not have a plural form as it is a verb.
Is guess a negative or positive word?
"Guess" is a neutral word; its connotation depends on the context in which it is used.
Is guess a vowel or consonant?
The word "guess" starts with a consonant.
Which vowel is used before guess?
Any vowel sound can precede "guess" depending on the construction of the sentence.
Which conjunction is used with guess?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," and "or" can be used with "guess," depending on the sentence structure.
Is guess a countable noun?
When used as a noun, "guess" is countable. For example, "He made three guesses."
Is guess a collective noun?
No, "guess" is not a collective noun.
Is the guess term a metaphor?
"Guess" can be used metaphorically in various expressions to suggest estimation or prediction, but it is not inherently metaphorical.
Is the word guess a Gerund?
When "guess" is used with an -ing ending as in "guessing," it functions as a gerund.
Which preposition is used with guess?
Common prepositions used with "guess" include "about" and "at," as in "guess about a solution" or "guess at the reasons."
Which article is used with guess?
When "guess" is used as a noun, articles like "a" or "the" can be applied, e.g., "I have a guess."
Is guess an adverb?
No, "guess" is not an adverb.
Is guess an abstract noun?
When used as a noun, "guess" can be considered abstract since it refers to an act of estimating without certain evidence.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
