speculation
gb/spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/ us/spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
B2
Inglês
~ 5900
Aceções
0 aceções
Nome
B2
action
1
guess or opinion without proof
The act of guessing or giving an opinion about something when you do not have all the facts, or the guesses themselves.
Padrão de uso:
[someone] makes speculation about [something]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use *speculations* instead of the uncountable form in general statements, e.g. saying *There are a lot of speculations about it* instead of *There is a lot of speculation about it*. Use the plural *speculations* mainly for separate, specific guesses: *Their speculations about the reasons were all wrong.* Another mistake is confusing *speculation* with *spectacle*; *speculation* is about thinking and guessing, not about a show or performance.
Sinónimos
guesswork (More informal and stresses that something is based mainly on guessing, often with little thought.)
|
conjecture (More formal and academic; often used for careful but unproven ideas.)
Antónimos
fact (Stresses something known to be true, not just an opinion or guess.)
|
evidence (Highlights information that supports a claim instead of an unsupported idea.)
Colocações
public speculation
|media speculation
|pure speculation
|endless speculation
|fuel speculation
|subject of speculation
Temas
thinking
|communication
|media
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- There was a lot of speculation about why she left the company so suddenly.
- The announcement has fueled speculation that the prime minister will call an early election.
- Until the report is published, any talk of who was responsible is pure speculation.
- Analysts' speculation over the merger pushed the company into the headlines.
- Social media was full of wild speculation about the cause of the outage.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- There is a lot of speculation about his new job.
- People are making speculation about when the war will end.
- The news story started more speculation about the couple's relationship.
- Until we have facts, our ideas are just speculation.
- Her comment led to speculation that the team might move to another city.
Nome
technical
C1
action
2
risky trading for quick profit
The act of buying and selling things like shares or houses with high risk, hoping to make quick money from changes in price.
Padrão de uso:
[someone] engages in speculation in [a market]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse this financial meaning with the general meaning of *guessing*. In finance, *speculation* is a kind of risky trading, not just an opinion. For example, *There was speculation on the currency* means people were trading it for profit, not simply talking about it.
Sinónimos
trading (General word for buying and selling; does not always imply high risk or short-term profit like speculation does.)
|
gambling (Suggests chance and irresponsibility; often used negatively to criticize speculation seen as too risky.)
Antónimos
long-term investment (Focuses on holding assets for a long period with lower risk, not quick profit from price swings.)
Colocações
financial speculation
|currency speculation
|real estate speculation
|engage in speculation
|ban on speculation
|limit speculation
Temas
business
|finance
|economics
Exemplos
- Strict rules were introduced to curb risky speculation in the housing market.
- The rapid rise in food prices was partly blamed on speculation in commodity futures.
- Some politicians want a tax on financial speculation to reduce market volatility.
- Currency speculation put huge pressure on the country's central bank.
- He made his fortune through clever speculation on tech stocks in the 1990s.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The bank lost a lot of money because of bad speculation in the stock market.
- The government wants to stop speculation in food prices.
- She made money from speculation in real estate.
- Many people think too much speculation is bad for the economy.
- Foreign exchange speculation can change the value of a country's money.
Nome
C1
entity
3
a risky investment venture
One risky business or property deal where someone hopes to make money from price changes.
Padrão de uso:
[something] is a speculation in [asset]
Erro comum:
Learners may overuse the general, uncountable sense and avoid the countable *a speculation*. Use *a speculation* when you mean one specific risky deal or project, especially in property or business: *That hotel was a speculation that failed.*
Sinónimos
venture (General word for a new risky business activity; does not always focus on price movements.)
Antónimos
safe investment (Highlights security and low risk, unlike a speculation which is risky.)
Colocações
a property speculation
|a real estate speculation
|high-risk speculation
|a failed speculation
|an unwise speculation
Temas
business
|finance
Exemplos
- Their downtown apartment project turned out to be a highly profitable speculation.
- Buying that land was a pure speculation that paid off when the city expanded.
- The hotel was originally a wild speculation by two young entrepreneurs.
- His property speculations in the region all collapsed during the crisis.
- The company denied that the deal was a short-term speculation.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The new building was a big speculation for the company.
- His first property speculation lost a lot of money.
- They called the project a risky speculation, not a safe plan.
- Buying empty land there is a speculation, not a sure thing.
- Her speculation in gold was successful.
Nome
formal
C1
action
4
abstract or philosophical thinking
Deep, mostly academic thinking about big, abstract questions that do not have clear answers.
Padrão de uso:
[someone] engages in speculation about [abstract topic]
Erro comum:
Learners may not realize this sense is more formal and academic. In everyday speech, use *thinking* or *ideas* instead, and reserve *speculation* for more serious or abstract discussion.
Sinónimos
theorizing (Stresses building theories; often slightly critical when it seems too far from reality.)
|
reflection (Broader and more personal; not always about abstract, academic questions.)
Antónimos
practical action (Focuses on doing things in the real world rather than thinking about abstract ideas.)
Colocações
philosophical speculation
|theological speculation
|metaphysical speculation
|abstract speculation
|scientific speculation
Temas
philosophy
|science
|thinking
|education
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The book moves from historical facts to bold philosophical speculation about the nature of time.
- He had little patience for abstract speculation that led to no concrete results.
- The lecture was full of theological speculation about life after death.
- Such cosmological speculation is fascinating but very hard to test.
- Her work combines careful data analysis with thoughtful speculation on future social trends.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The professor enjoys speculation about the meaning of life.
- This is not just speculation; it is serious philosophical work.
- The article includes speculation on the future of human language.
- He prefers facts and does not like abstract speculation.
- Some scientific speculation is impossible to prove today.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
speculation
IPA
GB/spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
US/spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
Sílabas e acento
spec - u - la - tion (4 sílabas)
Stress on 3rd syllable (la)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: speculation
- Plural: speculation, speculations
Família de palavras
Forms
speculations
noun
Core family
speculate
verb B2
speculative
adjective C1
Related words
speculator
noun
speculatively
adverb
Expressões
engage in speculation
1/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ ˈɪn spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
take part in speculating
To take part in speculation, either by guessing about something or by doing risky financial trading.
Exemplos
- Officials refused to engage in speculation about the reasons for the accident.
- Investors who engage in speculation can make big profits, but they can also suffer heavy losses.
fuel speculation
1/fjˈul spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
cause more guessing and rumors
To make people guess and talk more about something, especially when they do not have all the facts.
Exemplos
- The CEO's sudden resignation fueled speculation about a possible scandal.
- Rumors of budget cuts have fueled speculation that several schools may close.
market speculation
1/mˈɑɹkɪt spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
risky trading in markets
Risky buying and selling in financial markets, done to make money from changes in prices.
Exemplos
- Some economists argue that excessive market speculation makes prices more unstable.
- The government introduced new rules to limit market speculation in food commodities.
media speculation
1/mˈidiə spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
press guesses without full facts
Guesses and opinions made by newspapers, TV, and other media when they do not yet know all the facts.
Exemplos
- There has been intense media speculation about the actor's sudden disappearance.
- The team tried to ignore media speculation about the coach's future.
mere speculation
1/mˈɪɹ spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
only a guess, nothing more
Used to say that something is only a guess and has no real support from facts.
Exemplos
- His theory is interesting, but at this point it is mere speculation.
- Any link between the two cases is, for now, mere speculation.
open to speculation
1/ˈoʊpən tə spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
uncertain and invites guessing
Not clearly known or decided, so people can only guess about it.
Exemplos
- The exact cause of the fire is still open to speculation.
- Her future with the company remains open to speculation.
pure speculation
1/pjˈʊɹ spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
only a guess, no proof
Used to say that something is only a guess and not based on real facts or proof.
Exemplos
- Any talk of closing the factory at this stage is pure speculation.
- Until the police release more information, the motives behind the attack remain pure speculation.
rife with speculation
1/ɹˈaɪf wˈɪθ spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
full of guesses and rumors
Having a lot of guessing and rumors about something.
Exemplos
- The office was rife with speculation about an upcoming reorganization.
- Social media is rife with speculation over the singer's next album.
the subject of speculation
1/ðə sˈʌbd͡ʒɪkt əv spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
focus of guessing and talk
Used when many people are guessing and talking about a person or thing without knowing the full truth.
Exemplos
- His health has been the subject of speculation for months.
- The future of the project is now the subject of speculation among employees.
idle speculation
1/ˈaɪdəl spˌɛkjəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Guessing without real basis
Guesses and ideas about something when you do not have facts and the guesses are not very useful.
Exemplos
- Let's avoid idle speculation and wait for the official report.
- The report avoids idle speculation and sticks to the facts.
- The meeting turned into idle speculation about who might be promoted next.
- There was a lot of idle speculation about who would be promoted.