conjecturally
conjecturally — adverb
1. by relying on guesses and impressions rather than on facts that have been proven
by relying on guesses and impressions rather than on facts that have been proven.
The historian could speak only |conjecturally| about the lost city, since no written records survived.
adverb modifying a verb of speaking
Scientists warned that the report's conclusions were reached |conjecturally|, using data from just one season.
When asked who had written the anonymous letter, Walid shrugged and answered |conjecturally|.
The budget figures were prepared |conjecturally| because no department had submitted firm cost estimates.
- speculatively
more common in financial or business contexts; implies risk-taking rather than lack of evidence
- hypothetically
implies a structured 'what if' thought experiment rather than a casual guess
- tentatively
focuses on the speaker's uncertainty about being correct, not necessarily on the lack of evidence
- definitively
suggests a conclusion that is final and backed by proof
- empirically
based on observation or experiment rather than guesswork
用法筆記
Common with verbs of speaking or reasoning (speak, answer, conclude, estimate) to emphasise that the statement lacks proof.
conjecturally — adjective
- conjecturallypositive
- more conjecturallycomparative
- most conjecturallysuperlative
1. describes a statement, explanation, or idea that is formed by guessing rather th
describes a statement, explanation, or idea that is formed by guessing rather than by using known facts.
The team dismissed the theory as merely |conjectural|, since no experiment had ever supported it.
collocation: merely conjectural
Beatrix found the article full of |conjectural| claims about the politician's private life.
collocation: conjectural claims
Without access to the original documents, any explanation of the faded writing is purely |conjectural|.
The doctor's diagnosis remained |conjectural| until the lab results arrived the next morning.
- speculative
more common and slightly less formal; often used in business and journalism
- hypothetical
suggests a deliberate assumption made for the sake of argument, not necessarily a guess
- unsubstantiated
stronger emphasis on the complete absence of supporting evidence
常見錯誤
2. describes a person who often forms opinions or theories based on incomplete info
describes a person who often forms opinions or theories based on incomplete information, without waiting for proof.
Aunt Rosa was highly |conjectural| by nature, always inventing dramatic stories about her neighbours.
collocation: highly conjectural + by nature (describing personality)
Aaron's |conjectural| mind led him to unproven theories about the origins of the alphabet.
The editor warned that a |conjectural| journalist damages the newspaper's reputation for accuracy.
Putri warned that a |conjectural| approach to investing could lead to serious financial losses.
- speculative
can describe a person too, but is broader — 'speculative thinker' implies creativity; 'conjectural thinker' implies guesswork
- inquisitive
positive; driven by curiosity rather than a lack of evidence
- empirical
relies on observation and evidence before forming conclusions
用法筆記
This sense applies to people or their thinking habits. Distinguish from sense 1 (NOT PROVEN), which describes claims or theories, not people.