conjecture

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/kənˈdʒek.tʃər/
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A reasoned but unproved idea, especially a guess from incomplete evidence or a mathematical proposition still waiting for proof.
Practice using conjecture in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • His conjecture filled a gap that the data could not explain.
  • The paper gives evidence for the conjecture but no complete proof.
  • The Hodge conjecture is one of the Millennium Prize Problems.
  • The lawyer warned that the argument was built on conjecture.
  • Perelman proved the Poincaré conjecture in the early 2000s.

Similar words

inference
assumption
speculate
hypothesis
guess
hypothesize
speculation
assertion
open problem
proposition

Meanings

Judgment without proof

noun
reasoning
neutral
An idea or judgment formed from limited evidence, plausible enough to consider but not yet proved.

Examples

  • The report separated confirmed evidence from conjecture.
  • Her conjecture about the missing records later proved correct.
  • Until the archives are opened, the motive remains a matter of conjecture.
  • The claim rested on conjecture rather than direct observation.
  • His conjecture filled a gap that the data could not explain.
  • Journalists repeated the rumor as conjecture, not as fact.
  • The lawyer warned that the argument was built on conjecture.

Similar words

guess
speculation
supposition
surmise
hypothesis
assumption
inference

Form an unproved idea

verb
reasoning
neutral
To judge or suggest that something may be true from incomplete evidence.

Examples

  • Researchers conjecture that the object formed outside the solar system.
  • I would not conjecture about the cause without more data.
  • Several analysts conjectured that demand would fall by spring.
  • The historian conjectures a link between the two letters.
  • It is tempting to conjecture that the message was deliberate.
  • Critics conjectured from the timing that a deal was near.
  • The team could only conjecture how the error began.

Similar words

guess
speculate
suppose
surmise
hypothesize
infer
theorize

Unproved mathematical proposition

noun
mathematics
technical
A mathematical statement proposed as true, often because evidence supports it, but still lacking a proof.

Examples

  • The Goldbach conjecture says that every even integer greater than two is the sum of two primes.
  • The Collatz conjecture remains open despite simple wording.
  • Perelman proved the Poincaré conjecture in the early 2000s.
  • A new conjecture about prime gaps drew attention at the conference.
  • The paper gives evidence for the conjecture but no complete proof.
  • Several famous conjectures have guided research in number theory.
  • The Hodge conjecture is one of the Millennium Prize Problems.

Similar words

hypothesis
proposition
open problem
claim
assertion
unproved statement

Etymology

From Middle English and Anglo-French, ultimately from Latin conjectura, a conclusion or interpretation, from conicere, to throw together.

FAQ

What does conjecture mean?

Conjecture means a reasoned idea or judgment made without enough evidence to prove it.

Is conjecture the same as a guess?

Conjecture is a kind of guess, but it often sounds more reasoned, formal, or analytical.

How is conjecture used as a verb?

To conjecture is to suggest that something may be true from incomplete evidence.

What is a mathematical conjecture?

A mathematical conjecture is a statement proposed as true but not yet proved.

What is the difference between a conjecture and a theorem?

A conjecture lacks proof, while a theorem has been proved from accepted assumptions.

What are common synonyms for conjecture?

Common synonyms include guess, speculation, supposition, surmise, and hypothesis.

What are common opposites of conjecture?

Common opposites include proof, fact, certainty, and, in mathematics, theorem.

Where does conjecture come from?

Conjecture comes through French and Latin from conicere, meaning to throw together.

Comments & contributions

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Quick Bobcat
Jul 14
I only meet it in maths books, never in daily chat
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Solar Pony
Jul 10
this word always sounds like someone wearing a tweed jacket lol
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Contribution
Maple Bobcat
Jul 7
Conjetura in Spanish feels very close, but I wouldnt map it onto every English use. In English conjecture has that formal school/legal/math smell more often.
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Proud Raven
Jul 5
In old text editing you can see conjecture or conjectural emendation. That is not just random guessing, it means the editor is repairing a damaged or corrupt reading from context.
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Fluffy Zebra
Jul 5
Small grammar thing: conjecture that is fine, conjecture about is fine, but conjecture about that the plan failed sounds broken. I see that from learners sometimes.
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Minty Rabbit
Jul 2
I would be careful using conjecture as the verb in normal conversation. We conjectured where to eat sounds like a parody of academics, unless the speaker is joking.
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Patient Puma
Jun 30
Extrapolate is narrower than conjecture. If you have past sales numbers and extend the line, you extrapolate. If you make a broader maybe because of clues, you conjecture.
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Windy Pika
Jun 27
Math note, hypothesis and conjecture arent a clean hierarchy. Riemann hypothesis is still a conjecture in the normal math sense, the name just stuck.
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Onyx Vole
Jun 27
same, my prof says conjecture for almost everything except the famous names we inherited
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Pearl Goose
Jun 21
For learners: dont answer how did you know? with I said it by conjecture. Thats not natural. Say I guessed, lucky guess, or I figured from your accent/shoes/whatever.
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Crimson Mole
Jun 18
In court stuff, conjecture is a red flag word. A witness is meant to say what they saw or know, not what they think probably happened, so lawyers usually call that speculation.
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