Conjecture vs. Speculate — What's the Difference?

The act of forming conclusions from incomplete evidence.

To engage in a financial transaction with substantial risk of loss for potential large gains.

A statement or opinion based on incomplete information.

To hypothesize or theorize in the realm of science or philosophy.

An assumption used to guide investigation.

To form a theory or hypothesize about something without sufficient evidence.

A hypothesis formulated as part of scientific research.

To consider or ponder possibilities.

A guess or inference without firm evidence.

To make predictions based on intuition or minimal evidence.

In mathematics, a conjecture is a conclusion or a proposition which is suspected to be true due to preliminary supporting evidence, but for which no proof or disproof has yet been found. Some conjectures, such as the Riemann hypothesis (still a conjecture) or Fermat's Last Theorem (a conjecture until proven in 1995 by Andrew Wiles), have shaped much of mathematical history as new areas of mathematics are developed in order to prove them.

To engage in a course of reasoning often based on inconclusive evidence; conjecture or theorize.

An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

To engage in the buying or selling of a commodity with an element of risk on the chance of profit.

Form an opinion or supposition about (something) on the basis of incomplete information

To assume to be true without conclusive evidence

Opinion or judgment based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence; guesswork.

To think, meditate or reflect on a subject; to consider, to deliberate or cogitate.

An opinion or conclusion based on guesswork

(intransitive) To make an inference based on inconclusive evidence; to surmise or conjecture.

To judge or conclude by conjecture; guess

To make a risky trade in the hope of making a profit; to venture or gamble.

To make a conjecture.

To anticipate which branch of code will be chosen and execute it in advance.

(formal) A statement or an idea which is unproven, but is thought to be true; a guess.

To consider by turning a subject in the mind, and viewing it in its different aspects and relations; to meditate; to contemplate; to theorize; as, to speculate on questions in religion; to speculate on political events.

(formal) A supposition based upon incomplete evidence; a hypothesis.

To view subjects from certain premises given or assumed, and infer conclusions respecting them a priori.

A statement likely to be true based on available evidence, but which has not been formally proven.

To purchase with the expectation of a contingent advance in value, and a consequent sale at a profit; - often, in a somewhat depreciative sense, of unsound or hazardous transactions; as, to speculate in coffee, in sugar, or in bank stock.

(obsolete) Interpretation of signs and omens.

To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing.

To guess; to venture an unproven idea.

To believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds;

(transitive) To infer on slight evidence; to guess at.

Talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion;

An opinion, or judgment, formed on defective or presumptive evidence; probable inference; surmise; guess; suspicion.

Reflect deeply on a subject;

To arrive at by conjecture; to infer on slight evidence; to surmise; to guess; to form, at random, opinions concerning.

Invest at a risk;

To make conjectures; to surmise; to guess; to infer; to form an opinion; to imagine.

A hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence);

A message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence

Reasoning that involves the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence

To believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds;

Conjecture is often about making educated guesses, while speculation usually involves a greater element of risk and prediction.

In science, conjecture is the formulation of hypotheses based on incomplete evidence, awaiting further empirical validation.

Speculation carries the risk of significant financial loss, especially if based on weak assumptions.

Speculation can drive market prices up or down as traders bet on future events, potentially increasing volatility.

A conjecture can become a fact if it is eventually supported by sufficient evidence and accepted by the consensus.

Investigators may use conjecture based on evidence at hand to formulate theories about a crime.

Yes, excessive and risky speculation can lead to bubbles and subsequent economic crises.

A conjecture is validated through accumulating evidence and achieving consensus in the relevant field.

Conjecture stimulates investigation and questioning, leading to new discoveries and insights.

People often speculate about outcomes of events like elections, weather, or personal decisions.

Speculation can be positive by fostering innovative theories, though it needs empirical testing to be scientifically valid.

The Riemann Hypothesis, proposing a pattern for the distribution of prime numbers, is a famous conjecture.

No, speculation can also occur in contexts like science and philosophy, where it involves theorizing beyond current evidence.

While risky, speculation can lead to high rewards and is a driving force behind many entrepreneurial ventures.

Conjecture can be inaccurate due to reliance on incomplete or flawed information.