guess

[ges]

verb (used with object)

1. to arrive at or commit oneself to an opinion about (something) without having sufficient evidence to support the opinion fully.

   to guess a person's weight.

   Synonyms: hazard

2. to estimate or conjecture about correctly.

   to guess what a word means.

3. to think, believe, or suppose.

   I guess I can get there in time.

   Synonyms: imagine, fancy
   Antonyms: know

verb (used without object)

1. to form an estimate or conjecture (often followed by at orabout ).

   We guessed at the weight of the package.

2. to estimate or conjecture correctly.

noun

1. an opinion that one reaches or to which one commits oneself on the basis of probability alone or in the absence of any evidence whatever.

   Synonyms: supposition

2. the act of forming such an opinion.

   to take a guess at someone's weight.

guess

/ ɡɛs /

verb

1. to form or express an uncertain estimate or conclusion (about something), based on insufficient information

   guess what we're having for dinner

2. to arrive at a correct estimate of (something) by guessing

   he guessed my age

3. informal,  to believe, think, or suppose (something)

   I guess I'll go now

4. to let a person remain in a state of uncertainty

noun

1. an estimate or conclusion arrived at by guessing

   a bad guess

2. the act of guessing

3. something difficult to predict

Other Word Forms

• guessingly adverb
• guesser noun
• guessable adjective
• preguess noun
• unguessable adjective
• unguessed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guess¹

First recorded in 1300–50; (for the verb) Middle English gessen, perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Swedish, Danish, Norwegian gissa, Middle Low German gissen, Middle Dutch gessen, Old Norse geta; noun derivative of the verb; get

Word History and Origins

Origin of guess¹

C13: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Swedish gissa, Old Danish gitse, Middle Dutch gissen; see _get

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. by guess and by gosh, using a combination of guesswork and reliance on luck; hit or miss. Also by guess and by golly.

see anyone's guess; educated guess; have another guess coming; your guess is as good as mine.

Synonym Study

Guess, guess at, conjecture, surmise imply attempting to form an opinion as to the probable. To guess is to risk an opinion regarding something one does not know about, or, wholly or partly by chance, to arrive at the correct answer to a question: to guess the outcome of a game. Guess at implies more haphazard or random guessing: to guess at the solution of a crime. To conjecture is to make inferences in the absence of sufficient evidence to establish certainty: to conjecture the circumstances of the crime. Surmise implies making an intuitive conjecture that may or may not be correct: to surmise the motives that led to it.

Example Sentences

But fans of Han’s bestselling book series of the same name have already guessed which major milestone a “Summer” movie is likely to reveal: Belly’s wedding to Conrad.

From Los Angeles Times

But even knowing that, I wouldn’t have guessed just how electrifying the ovation Colbert would receive when he won the talk series Emmy for his recently canceled late-night show.

From Los Angeles Times

“I put a lot of my own journeys into all the characters but I have a lot in common with Conrad when it comes to, I guess, everything,” Han says.

From Los Angeles Times

“We have to invest more. But the money has to come from somewhere. And I guess right now we’re just saying, ‘It comes from you, local ratepayer, so you’re on your own,’” Pierce said.

From Los Angeles Times

I guess I missed an opportunity to be on camera,” Urie says of the unusual setup.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• assumption 
• conclusion 
• conjecture 
• feeling 
• guesswork 
• hunch 
• hypothesis 
• inference 
• judgment 
• opinion 
• prediction 
• presumption 
• supposition 
• theory 

When To Use

What is a basic definition of guess?

Guess means to attempt to provide an answer to something without knowing with certainty that it is correct. When you guess in this way, you don’t have enough information to know for sure. Guess is also a noun that refers to the answer that you give in such a situation. Guess also means to believe or suppose. Guess has a few other senses as a noun and a verb and is used in several idioms.When you guess, it means you’re trying to provide the right answer even though you don’t have enough information to know what it is.Real-life examples: People guess things because they don’t know all the details or because there is not enough information available. People often guess what the weather will be like, or what the future may hold, or what the right answer is to a question on a test.Used in a sentence: I had no clue what her favorite color was so I guessed that it was red. Guess is also commonly used as a noun to refer to the answer arrived at by a person who is guessing. A guess usually relies on luck or hope because a person doesn’t have enough information.Used in a sentence: I thought my prediction had a chance to come true, but my guess turned out to be wrong. As a verb, guess is also used as a synonym for words like think, believe, and suppose—it can mean to feel that something might be possible, doable, or feasible.Used in a sentence: I guess I can make it to the bank before it closes.