as in hypothetical
existing only as an assumption or speculation
a speculative explanation of why this ancient pottery was found hundreds of miles from where it was made
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of speculative
Suspenseful speculative fiction about isolated women hiding something dangerous.
—
Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Plans by Becknell are to build the speculative structure, to be called Northwind North Business Park, and utilize it for light industrial businesses to rent.
—Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Other works by George Rickey and Harry Bertoia round out the group, which leans heavily on midcentury abstraction and design—material that remains dependable, if not especially speculative, in the current market.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Often set far in the future or in entirely different universes, speculative sci-fi creates what is basically a new world.
—Matthew Razak, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculative
Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Plans by Becknell are to build the speculative structure, to be called Northwind North Business Park, and utilize it for light industrial businesses to rent.
—Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Other works by George Rickey and Harry Bertoia round out the group, which leans heavily on midcentury abstraction and design—material that remains dependable, if not especially speculative, in the current market.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Often set far in the future or in entirely different universes, speculative sci-fi creates what is basically a new world.
—Matthew Razak, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speculative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speculative
Adjective
-
None of that damage is hypothetical.—
Jon Duffy,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The killing of Comperatore adds another dead body to the hypothetical stage directions, or else marks things going hideously off-script, still without breaking the surrounding secrecy.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Artificial Intelligence has evolved from a theoretical concept to a prevailing element of daily life.—
Kemba Walden,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Some of the capacities cited may also represent theoretical potential or systems that are not consistently operating at full scale.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Projections of economic gains from major sporting events are typically optimistic, euphoric, chimerical or conjectural.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
-
That statistic is somewhat conjectural, since the vast majority of rapes in India are apparently not reported.—
Mark Jenkins,
Washington Post,
7 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Speculative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speculative. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
