theorize

American  

[thee-uh-rahyz, theer-ahyz] / ˈθi əˌraɪz, ˈθɪər aɪz /

especially British, theorise

verb (used without object)

theorized, theorizing

1. to form a theory or theories.

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verb (used with object)

theorized, theorizing

1. to form a theory or theories about.

theorize British  

/ ˈθɪəˌraɪz /

verb

1. (intr) to produce or use theories; speculate

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Other Word Forms

• overtheorization noun
• overtheorize verb (used without object)
• theorization noun
• theorizer noun

Etymology

Origin of theorize

From the Medieval Latin word theōrizāre, dating back to 1630–40. See theory, -ize

Example Sentences

When faced with a particularly puzzling case and not much evidence to go on, Sherlock Holmes once said, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.”

From Barron's

The pharmaceutical industry was obsessed with rare diseases, which they theorized left room for new drugs treating the most-common ones.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the existence of a few podcasters—whose popularity, let’s charitably stipulate, owes itself to things other than their theorizing about Jews—is hardly a takeover.

From The Wall Street Journal

A cohort of German Protestant thinkers such as Friedrich Schleiermacher theorized religion similarly—change was now progress, and liberal society clearly the heir to medieval religion.

From The Wall Street Journal

Scientists have long theorized that Jupiter's four large moons -- Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto -- originated from a similar disk surrounding the young planet billions of years ago.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• speculate