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

Predicting these things at the start is always a bit of guesswork - winning the Champions League comes down to fitness and form in key moments.

From BBC

"Breakthroughs in this very difficult field have tended to rely on the memory, the subjective judgement and the hunch/guesswork of individual scholars, supported by traditional, encyclopaedic databases. Aeneas opens up entirely new horizons."

From BBC

This sounds like guesswork derived from pop psychology, since the authors didn’t point to any actual research to validate their conclusions about masking.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s an engaging chronicle of the academic breakthroughs that transformed investing from guesswork and gut feelings into a more scientific endeavor.

From Salon

This countertop infusion machine automates every step—drying, decarboxylation, and infusion—letting you infuse oils, butters, honeys, and more without the usual guesswork.

From Salon

Related Words

• conjecture 
• hunch