ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsSsurmise
ISEE/SSAThard
surmise
Meaning: to guess or suppose something based on incomplete information
surmise in a sentence
How surmise is used in real sentences:
From the muddy boots by the door, she could surmise that he'd been hiking.
From the half-eaten sandwich and open textbook, the teacher could surmise that the student had left in a hurry.
“Because the project's model was still inchoate, the team could only surmise which composition would unfold an antenna reliably in orbit.”
— from the passage The Returning Hinge
“Mara could only surmise that the institution wanted Bell's aura more than the troublesome labor required to sustain his work.”
— from the passage The Final Impression
“She would not surmise that the chamber held absolutely nothing, because tiny leaks and imperfect instruments could escape detection.”
— from the passage The Chamber Argument
Also read it in: The Negotiators of Cambrai
Synonyms for surmise
Other words for surmise — infer, speculate and conjecture — carry the same meaning.
- infer
- speculate
- conjecture
Antonyms of surmise
Words that mean the opposite of surmise:
- confirm
- verify
Where it comes from
From Old French surmise 'accusation', from sur- 'upon' + mettre 'to put'
Memory hook
SUR-MISE — put your guess on top of the clues you have.