surmise
What does "surmise" mean?
To surmise is to form an opinion or reach a conclusion based on incomplete information or intuition. Imagine a detective standing at a crime scene; they have only a few clues, yet they piece together a likely theory of what happened. It is a step beyond a mere guess but stops short of a proven fact. This word is typically used in formal or academic contexts where you are presenting a logical deduction rather than a wild hunch. It often appears in phrases like "I surmise that," and it is frequently used to describe a cautious, intellectual inference made in the absence of absolute certainty.
"surmise" in conversation
Office meeting
The project budget seems lower than last year.
The project budget seems lower than last year.
I surmise that management is cutting costs across the board.
I surmise that management is cutting costs across the board.
Used here to state a logical conclusion drawn from observation.
Debating a mystery
Why did she leave so suddenly?
Why did she leave so suddenly?
I can only surmise that she received some urgent news.
I can only surmise that she received some urgent news.
Shows the speaker acknowledging they lack definitive proof.
"surmise" in a sentence
I surmise that you are tired.
I surmise that you are tired.
He surmised from her silence that she disagreed with the plan.
He surmised from her silence that she disagreed with the plan.
The detective surmised that the culprit had exited through the window, given the mud on the sill.
The detective surmised that the culprit had exited through the window, given the mud on the sill.
