# speculate

/ˈspɛkjəˌɫeɪt/ (US) · /spˈɛkjʊlˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/speculate
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to guess or conjecture

verb · CEFR B2

to form an opinion or guess about something without having enough information to be certain.

For teachers: to form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence. Intransitive, often followed by 'on', 'about', or a 'that' clause.

- Journalists began to speculate about the reasons for the minister's sudden resignation.
- Market analysts continue to speculate on the long-term implications of the central bank's decision to maintain current interest rates.

### 2. financial risk

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to buy something like land or stocks hoping the price will go up so you can sell it for a profit.

For teachers: to invest in assets with the expectation of profit but with a significant risk of loss. Intransitive, typically taking the preposition 'in'.

- He made a fortune by speculating in the local property market during the boom.
- The hedge fund was accused of speculating in commodity futures, contributing to the extreme volatility of food prices.

### 3. computing

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

when a computer processor guesses which instructions to run next to save time.

For teachers: to execute instructions in advance of knowing whether they will be needed, a technique used to improve performance.

- Modern processors speculate on branch outcomes to speed up software execution.
- Speculative execution allows the CPU to process multiple paths of logic simultaneously before the conditional branch is actually resolved.

## Examples

- Scientists speculate that there might be water on that planet.
- Investors began to speculate on the price of gold as the global economy showed signs of slowing down.
- While the board refused to comment on the CEO's sudden departure, industry analysts continue to speculate about potential internal conflicts that may have precipitated the decision.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.