Skip to main content
conjecture

conjecture

43 7.8
An opinion formed without enough proof, like a guess
  • noun
  • /kənˈdʒɛk.tʃɚ/
translation icon : conjetura
  • After examining the data, scientists concluded that their initial conjecture was incorrect.
  • a matter of conjecture
  • make a conjecture
  • support a conjecture

And maybe you can bring this, this other conjecture up as you move forward.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • As of right now, no one has proven this conjecture true or false.

  • Upon further reflection, Adam stood by his earlier conjecture that the thieves were neophytes.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • His happy conjecture was that there is but a single subject.

  • And this is not just conjecture, it's not just rumors.

  • As such, the regulation of risk cannot simply be based on conjecture about some uncertain risk.

    Academic text (2013)
  • But let's be clear, a conjecture is something that may or may not be true.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Reasonable conjecture leads us to think that it was either glaucoma or or cataracts.

  • There has been much conjecture about the cause of the sudden change in temperature.

  • His conjecture that alien life exists is based on observations from distant planets.

Synonyms

opinion
vsconjecture
1.0

A person's view about something

is specifically an unsupported conclusion rather than any general belief
guess
vsconjecture
768 1.0

An answer or opinion made without enough information

is a broader tentative opinion rather than a simple estimate
speculation
vsconjecture
288 4.8

A guess or idea made without enough proof

is a plain unsupported opinion rather than a developed theory
sentiment
vsconjecture
185 4.0

An opinion people have that is not based on proof

is a reasoned unsupported idea rather than primarily an emotional stance
hunch
vsconjecture
159 4.7

A guess based on a feeling rather than facts

is more reasoned or stated rather than purely intuition based
hypothesis
vsconjecture
138 6.1

An idea that may explain something but is not yet proven

is a casual unsupported idea rather than a testable explanatory proposal
conclusion
vsconjecture
48 2.7

A guess made without enough evidence

is a more tentative idea rather than a firm final judgment
suspicion
vsconjecture
39 2.3

A feeling that something may be true even without proof

is a neutral unsupported idea rather than a doubtful feeling
supposition
vsconjecture
23 7.3

An idea that people accept as true without proof

is a more general unsupported opinion rather than a reasoned assumption
postulate
vsconjecture
  • Specialized
4 8.1

An idea accepted as true without proof and used to build a theory

is a general unsupported opinion used outside formal reasoning contexts
surmise
vsconjecture
3 7.9

An idea based on little evidence

is the standard term for an unsupported judgment or guess
postulation
vsconjecture
  • Specialized
1 9.3

An idea people accept without proof and use to build an argument

is the everyday tentative opinion rather than a technical assumed claim
surmisal
vsconjecture
9.8

A guess without enough facts

is the neutral everyday term for that tentative idea

Antonyms

1.0

Something that can be shown to be true, not an opinion

certainty
  • Literature
202 3.4

A strong feeling that something is true or will happen

How Certain

fact
1.0
theory
3.2
hypothesis
138 6.1
conjecture
43 7.8
guess
768 1.0

Surface Forms

conjecture singular
conjectures plural

Morphology

conjecture = con + ject + ure

Although the form can be analyzed as con- + -ject- + -ure, the meaning 'a guess' is not derivable by a B1 learner from the components (the notion of 'throwing together' does not transparently yield 'hypothesis').

Etymology

The word conjecture comes from the parts con- 'together' and -ject 'to throw', so imagine someone 'throwing together' a few ideas into one quick opinion. So a conjecture is a guess or idea made without full proof.