verb
surmise
sur-MYZ
verb
1
To guess or conclude something without solid proof.
"From her tone, I surmised she wasn't happy about the decision."
"Police surmised that the fire was started deliberately."
noun
1
A guess or conclusion based on limited evidence.
"It was pure surmise on his part — nobody had confirmed anything."
How to Use Surmise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make an educated guess, or the guess itself.
Common mistake
Formal in tone — in everyday speech "guess" or "assume" is far more natural.
When to use it
Fairly formal or literary; used often in writing and reporting rather than casual conversation.
Word Forms
surmised past tense, surmises plural, surmises singular
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From her tone, I _____ she wasn't happy about the decision.
Etymology
From Old French surmettre ("to accuse"), from sur- ("upon") + mettre ("to put") — the meaning softened over time from "accusation" to "guess".