guesswork

[ ges-wurk ]

noun

1. work or procedure based on or consisting of the making of guesses or conjectures.

guesswork

/ ˈɡɛsˌwɜːk /

noun

1. a set of conclusions, estimates, etc, arrived at by guessing
2. the process of making guesses

Word History and Origins

Origin of guesswork¹

First recorded in 1715–25; guess + work

Example Sentences

It’s already pre-seasoned with pumpkin spice, taking the guesswork out of seasoning.

From Salon

Guesswork about how many people will turn up at a protest before it has happened is exactly that, guesswork, but some reckon it could be between 10,000 and 40,000 people.

From BBC

Right now, there is: Intrigue, plotting, phone calls, quiet chats, guesswork and claims of underhand tactics.

From BBC

For the viewer, that guesswork is eliminated by the macabre tableau to which she’s referring.

From Salon

With a dearth of details accompanying her tour announcement, the nine-time Grammy Award winner’s followers took to the comments section of her post to do their own guesswork.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conjecture
• hunch