surmise

1 of 2

noun

sur·​mise sər-ˈmīz 

ˈsər-ˌmīz

: a thought or idea based on scanty evidence : conjecture

surmise

2 of 2

verb

sur·​mise sər-ˈmīz 

surmised; surmising

transitive verb

: to form a notion of from scanty evidence : imagine, infer

Synonyms

Noun

• conjecture
• guess
• shot
• supposition

Verb

• assume
• conjecture
• daresay
• guess
• imagine
• presume
• speculate
• suppose
• suspect
• suspicion [chiefly dialect]

Examples of surmise in a Sentence

Noun

my surmise is that the couple's “good news” is the announcement that they are going to have a baby

Verb

We can only surmise what happened.

He must have surmised that I was not interested.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Like the extended music video surmises, Lopez’s search for love in all forms is born out of not feeling loved enough as a child. —Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024

But watching it last night, I was struck with a wild surmise about the characters’ potential origin. —Vulture, 22 Dec. 2023

Verb

The researchers surmise that these factors may leave many Nevadans looking for companionship in a state where connections might feel a bit out of reach. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Others pondered whether the book was given the green light to go to print before Kelce’s cameo, though one fan surmised a surprise songs page meant the book wasn’t finished until at least the end of July. —Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, allegation, charge, from Anglo-French, from feminine of surmis, past participle of surmettre to place on, suppose, accuse, from Medieval Latin supermittere, from Late Latin, to place on, from Latin super- + mittere to let go, send

Verb

Middle English, to allege, from surmise, noun

First Known Use

Noun

1569, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1647, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

surmise

1 of 2 verb

sur·​mise sər-ˈmīz 

surmised; surmising

: to form an idea of based on very little evidence : guess

surmise

2 of 2 noun

sur·​mise sər-ˈmīz 

ˈsər-ˌmīz

: a thought or idea based on little evidence : conjecture