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to theorize

to theorize

39 6.1
Form an idea to explain why something happens with little proof
  • verb
  • /ˈθiːəraɪz/
translation icon : teorizar sobre
  • The search for meaning in history is itself an effort to theorize the radical changingness of our experience.
  • theorize about society
  • theorize about people
  • theorize about the world

So gender ideology theorises that your gender is just a feeling.

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Examples

  • Well, agreed, but it's a huge mistake to theorize before one has data.

  • So, Pam, what did the police theorize happened to Dakota?

  • And you can really get in your head about trying to theorize or come up with the best plan.

  • There have been numerous attempts in a variety of disciplines to theorize about this level of social action.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Some scientists theorize that we may have even domesticated ourselves.

  • The question is hypothetical and asks the witness to theorize on future events.

  • Other institutional characteristics have been theorized to have an impact on student retention, but the evidence is not clear.

    Academic text (2008)
  • These blue holes, people are theorizing, might be portals to another world, another dimension.

  • Scientists theorize that if such an event were to occur, The effects of the solar storm would have much more far reaching, damaging and deadly consequences.

  • The researchers decided to theorize about the origins of the unusual phenomenon after observing initial data.

Synonyms

to suppose
vsto theorize
2.7

To think something is true without clear proof

forms explanatory ideas but more as a simple assumption than developed reasoning
to speculate
vsto theorize
254 4.8

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

forms an explanatory idea to explain rather than merely listing possibilities
to presume
vsto theorize
89 4.9

To show that something is likely true because of evidence

forms an explanatory idea but relies more on limited evidence than proof
to posit
vsto theorize
  • Formal
35 7.5

To suggest that something is true as the start of an argument

suggests an explanatory idea but with less claim to factual truth
to hypothesize
vsto theorize
  • US
22 7.2

To suggest an idea about why something happens that can be tested

forms an explanatory idea mainly to explain things often from limited evidence
to postulate
vsto theorize
  • Formal
17 7.5

To suggest that something is true to explain facts

serves as an explanatory starting point but may be less asserted as fact
to conceptualize
vsto theorize
12 6.9

To form an idea in your mind about something

forms explanatory ideas aimed at explaining events rather than just imagining concepts
to conjecture
vsto theorize
7 7.6

To form an opinion without enough proof

creates explanatory ideas but tends to rely on less evidence and more caution
to philosophize
vsto theorize
  • US
6 8.1

Think or talk about big ideas like life and truth

forms explanatory ideas focused on concrete explanations rather than abstract speculation
surmise
vsto theorize
3 7.9

An idea based on little evidence

forms explanatory ideas yet is generally broader and less of a quick guess
to hypothecate
vsto theorize
  • Formal
9.9

Suggest a possible explanation without strong evidence

forms explanatory ideas but is even more tentative and uncertain in basis

Antonyms

374 2.8

Use something for a particular purpose, for example a rule or method

How Theoretical

to formalize
  • US
15 4.9
to theorize
39 6.1
to suggest
1.6
to describe
1.0
to observe
619 2.4

Surface Forms

theorize infinitive
theorized past
theorized past participle
theorizing present participle
theorizes third person singular

Morphology

theorize = theory (transparent) = theory + ize

Formed by the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize' added to 'theory'; meaning 'to form theories' is directly derivable by learners.

Etymology

Theorize comes from the same root as theory, a word that once meant 'to look' or 'to consider', so to theorize is to form an idea or careful guess to explain something.