Surmise (Noun)
Meaning
A message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The detective's report was based on a surmise that the victim knew the killer, but the lack of solid evidence made this conclusion uncertain.
- Her surmise that the company was going bankrupt stemmed from the recent mass layoffs and declining sales figures.
- From the faint smell of smoke in the attic, John formed the surmise that the old wiring was probably faulty.
- The police officer's surmise about the cause of the accident relied heavily on eyewitness accounts, rather than concrete forensic evidence.
- The historian's surmise that the ancient city was abandoned due to a natural disaster was supported by some archaeological findings, but more research was needed to confirm this theory.