surmise

[ verb ser-mahyz; noun ser-mahyz, sur-mahyz ]

verb (used with object)

, sur·mised, sur·mis·ing.

1. to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.

   Synonyms: suspect, suppose, imagine

verb (used without object)

, sur·mised, sur·mis·ing.

1. to conjecture or guess.

noun

1. a matter of conjecture.
2. an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.
3. a conjecture or opinion.

surmise

verb

1. when tr, may take a clause as object to infer (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence

noun

1. an idea inferred from inconclusive evidence

Derived Forms

• surˈmisable, adjective
• surˈmiser, noun

Other Words From

• sur·misa·ble adjective
• sur·mised·ly [ser-, mahyzd, -lee, -, mahy, -zid-], adverb
• sur·miser noun
• unsur·mised adjective
• unsur·mising adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surmise¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English surmisen, from Anglo-French surmis(e), Middle French “accused,” past participle of surmettre “to accuse,” from Latin supermittere “to throw upon,” from super super- + mittere “to let go, send”

Word History and Origins

Origin of surmise¹

C15: from Old French, from surmettre to accuse, from Latin supermittere to throw over, from super- + mittere to send

Synonym Study

See guess.

Example Sentences

Study authors surmised that the concentrations fell, in part, because businesses removed the chemicals from their goods to avoid warning labels.

From Los Angeles Times

Stewart makes no bones about her perfectionism or her lack of warmth, which she freely surmises is the reason her closest relationships suffered.

From Salon

Climate change was not on the discussion list here, as you might surmise.

From Salon

My friend immediately surmised that the U.S. was somehow behind the coup attempt: Did I also believe it?

From Salon

Some worried about physical attacks by Trump supporters; others, he surmised, thought the film too risky for their careers in a politically divisive age.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deduce
• hypothesize
• infer
• opine
• presume
• pretend
• speculate
• theorize