Predict vs. Speculate — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 29, 2023
To predict is to declare an expected outcome, often based on evidence or reasoning, while to speculate is to conjecture without firm evidence.
Difference Between Predict and Speculate
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Predict involves stating an outcome or event will happen in the future, often based on patterns, evidence, or previous knowledge. Speculate means to form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence.
When scientists predict phenomena, they use data and established principles. Conversely, when they speculate, they often extend beyond the available evidence to form hypotheses that require further investigation.
Predicting is a common practice in weather forecasting, where meteorologists use models to anticipate weather conditions. In the financial world, investors may speculate about stock prices based on market sentiment rather than solid financial analysis.
In sports, a coach might predict the success of a play based on players' past performances, while fans might speculate on the outcome of a season with no statistical backing.
Predictions can sometimes be tested and verified, while speculations tend to remain unconfirmed until more evidence is available.
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Comparison Chart
Basis
Evidence, patterns, knowledge.
Conjecture without firm evidence.
Certainty Level
Generally higher.
Generally lower.
Usage Context
Scientific, forecasting.
Investments, hypotheses.
Nature
Often testable.
Not immediately testable.
Associated Fields
Meteorology, statistics.
Finance, philosophy.
Compare with Definitions
Predict
Say or estimate that a specified thing will happen in the future.
The economist predicted a rise in inflation.
Speculate
Engage in conjectural thought.
Fans speculated wildly about the next book in the series.
Predict
Indicate in advance.
The data predicts a positive trend in sales.
Speculate
Form a theory without firm evidence.
They could only speculate about the cause of the fire.
Predict
Make a forecast of what will happen.
The model predicts a solar eclipse in six months.
Speculate
Invest with the hope of gain but the risk of loss.
She speculated in tech stocks and made a fortune.
Predict
Foretell based on observation, experience, or scientific reason.
She predicted rain due to the cloud formations.
Speculate
To engage in a course of reasoning often based on inconclusive evidence; conjecture or theorize.
Predict
Give an expected result of a future event.
He predicted that the team would win by five points.
Speculate
To engage in the buying or selling of a commodity with an element of risk on the chance of profit.
Predict
To state, tell about, or make known in advance, especially on the basis of special knowledge
Predicted an active hurricane season because of warmer ocean-surface temperatures.
Speculate
To assume to be true without conclusive evidence
Speculated that high cholesterol was a contributing factor to the patient's health problems.
Predict
To foretell something.
Speculate
To think, meditate or reflect on a subject; to consider, to deliberate or cogitate.
Predict
(transitive) To make a prediction: to forecast, foretell, or estimate a future event on the basis of knowledge and reasoning; to prophesy a future event on the basis of mystical knowledge or power.
Speculate
(intransitive) To make an inference based on inconclusive evidence; to surmise or conjecture.
Predict
To imply.
Speculate
To make a risky trade in the hope of making a profit; to venture or gamble.
Predict
(intransitive) To make predictions.
Speculate
To anticipate which branch of code will be chosen and execute it in advance.
Predict
To direct a ranged weapon against a target by means of a predictor.
Speculate
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.
It is remarkable that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most pefect quietude to the external regulations of society.
Predict
(obsolete) A prediction.
Speculate
To view subjects from certain premises given or assumed, and infer conclusions respecting them a priori.
Predict
To tell or declare beforehand; to foretell; to prophesy; to presage; as, to predict misfortune; to predict the return of a comet.
Speculate
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.
Predict
A prediction.
Speculate
To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing.
Predict
Make a prediction about; tell in advance;
Call the outcome of an election
Speculate
To believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds;
Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps
Predict
Indicate by signs;
These signs bode bad news
Speculate
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;
We were speculating whether the President had to resign after the scandal
Speculate
Reflect deeply on a subject;
I mulled over the events of the afternoon
Philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years
The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate
Speculate
Invest at a risk;
I bought this house not because I want to live in it but to sell it later at a good price, so I am speculating
Speculate
Contemplate or ponder a hypothesis.
The philosopher speculated on the existence of other worlds.
Speculate
To guess based on intuition or limited information.
He speculated that the company would go bankrupt.
Common Curiosities
Can predictions always be accurate?
No, predictions are not always accurate as they are based on available data and assumptions, which may not account for all variables.
Can a speculation become a prediction?
Yes, if new evidence supports a speculation, it may become a prediction with a higher level of certainty.
What does it mean to predict something?
To predict something means to state that it will happen in the future, often based on evidence or specific methods like statistical analysis.
Do predictions require expertise?
Often, yes, especially when they involve complex data analysis or an understanding of particular phenomena.
How do weather forecasts predict?
Weather forecasts predict by using models and historical data to estimate future weather patterns.
Can a prediction be proven wrong?
Yes, predictions can be proven wrong if the anticipated event does not occur as expected.
Is it risky to speculate?
Yes, speculation can be risky, especially in finance, because it involves making decisions with incomplete information.
Why do people speculate?
People speculate to form theories or ideas about something when they do not have all the necessary information or evidence.
Is speculation always related to finance?
No, speculation can occur in any field where outcomes are uncertain and not based solely on evidence.
Is speculating the same as gambling?
Speculating is similar to gambling in that both involve risk and uncertainty, but speculation often involves a degree of informed decision-making.
Is predicting a scientific process?
Predicting can be part of a scientific process when it involves hypotheses and testing based on evidence.
Can you test a speculation?
Speculations are generally tested by seeking further evidence or through the unfolding of future events.
What is an example of speculation?
An investor buying stocks based on a hunch that they will increase in value is an example of speculation.
What is speculative investment?
A speculative investment involves putting money into assets or ventures with the possibility of high returns but also high risk of loss.
Do businesses predict or speculate on market trends?
Businesses may do both—predict based on market analysis and speculate when entering new, untested markets.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
