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Glite Dictionary
🤔 To criticize after 🔮 To predict actions
to second-guess

to second-guess

21 5.7
To try to predict what someone will do or think
  • verb
  • /ˈsɛkəndˌɡɛs/
  • Informal
translation icon : anticipar
  • But the addiction is in seeing if you can second guess and beat the system.
  • second-guessing decisions
  • try to second-guess
  • stop second-guessing

Watching you second guess that in your head was so fun.

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Examples

  • He tends to second-guess his team's strategies, which can create confusion.

  • Never try to second-guess a writer on the subject of their favorite novel.

    Blog text (21)

  • When you see that, does it make you second guess this choice to have guns in schools?

  • Are you second guessing me, son?

    Rust Creek (2019)

  • You are attempting to second-guess their business decisions without knowing why they made them.

    Blog text (19)

  • For many, desperation takes over and we begin second-guessing our choices.

    Blog text (24)

  • There is a lot of hand-wringing and second-guessing about the polls this election season.

    Blog text (20)

  • "So I would like to ask all of you to stop second-guessing my motives and discuss my arguments."

    Blog text (23)

  • It may be that Laura and I have been rather cautious in our presumptions, but we decided not to second guess too much.

  • When players you drafted in the early rounds face a tough defense, we start to second-guess our lineups.

    Blog text (24)

Synonyms

to guess
vsto second-guess
∞ 1.0

To think something is likely without being sure

implies doubting or criticising others' choices rather than mere uncertainty
to speculate
vsto second-guess
254 4.8

To think about possible reasons or outcomes when there are not enough facts

carries a critical doubt about others' decisions rather than speculative thought
to anticipate
vsto second-guess
109 3.2

To expect that something will happen

adds a tone of questioning others' decisions rather than simple expectation
to outguess
vsto second-guess
1 6.7

To guess what someone will do before they do it

questions or doubts others' choices rather than just predicting them
to previse
vsto second-guess
  • Archaic
9.9

To know something before it happens

centres on doubting or criticising others' decisions rather than mere foresight

Antonyms

trust
699 1.0

Strong belief that a person or thing is honest and reliable

How Certain

to predict
812 3.0
to anticipate
124 3.6
to second-guess
  • Informal
21 5.7
to speculate
254 4.8
guess
768 1.0

Surface Forms

second-guess infinitive
second-guessed past
second-guessed past participle
second-guessing present participle
second-guesses third person singular

Morphology

second-guess = second + guess (transparent) = second + guess

The meaning 'to try to anticipate or predict' follows directly from 'second' (= again/another attempt) + 'guess'.

Etymology

Second-guess comes from the parts second ('another' or 'again') and guess ('to try to predict'). Think of it as making another guess about what will happen or what someone will do, which is why it means trying to anticipate or predict someone's actions.