guess out

USAGE SUMMARY

'guess out' is not a correct phrase.
It is not usable in written English. If you want to express the idea of guessing something, a phrase such as 'guess at' or 'guess what' would be more appropriate. For example: I can't remember the answer to the question, so I'm just going to have to guess at it. Can you guess what I'm thinking?.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Do you want her in or out?" "I guess out".

The New Yorker

"I guess out of 82 games, you're bound to play the way we did tonight once," said Sprewell, who scored 6 of his team-high 21 points in an overtime period that ended after Van Horn's runner with four seconds left went awry.

The New York Times - Sports

Slugger addresses the plain affirmation of sexual consent, with lyrics such as "Don't even put words in my mouth / You can't guess out the gate what I'm all about / That's why I try to say every time what I want from you".

The Guardian - Music

So I guess, out with "outsourcing," "insourcing" and now we're into "crowd sourcing," which I think is a relatively clever play on social media and collaboration and all of that.

Forbes

If U a intercepts a login request { M3, M4, M5} or the reply message { M9, M10}/{ M12}, he cannot guess out ID i using { M5, M10, M12} without the knowledge of { x s, R c   and   R s }.

BioMed Research International

When adding to the detail of your plans, try to guess out what could go wrong and develop contingency plans.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

In large measure, Ross was guessing out loud.

The New Yorker

It's hard to feel suspense as a reader when even the protagonist keeps guessing out loud about what's happening to him.

Independent

But Bell isn't sweating the second-guessing out in Southern California.

Huffington Post

He was gifted with a propensity for extraordinarily clear thinking and an outstanding ability to out-guess, out-think and out-manoeuvre his business opponent".

The Guardian - Sport

"Things, I guess, worked out for me".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always double-check the sentence structure to ensure it maintains grammatical correctness. It's better to rephrase or replace the phrase entirely.

Common error

Avoid using "guess out" in formal contexts, as it often leads to grammatical errors and ambiguity. Opt for more appropriate phrases like "speculate" or "estimate" depending on the intended meaning, which elevates the writing quality and precision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "guess out" functions primarily in informal contexts to express speculation or estimation. However, it is often grammatically incorrect and lacks the precision of alternative phrases. Examples from Ludwig, as well as Ludwig AI, indicate inconsistent usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "guess out" appears in a variety of sources, including news and media, it is often grammatically questionable. As Ludwig AI also highlights, it is generally not considered standard English. Therefore, it's advisable to opt for more precise and grammatically correct alternatives such as "estimate", "speculate", or "venture a guess", especially in formal writing. While the expression may be considered informal, it is more advisable to steer clear and use valid alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

venture a guess

Rephrases "guess" using "venture" to indicate a tentative suggestion.

speculate

Focuses on forming a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence.

take a stab

Offers a more colloquial and informal way to say "guess", implying an attempt at an answer.

conjecture

Replaces the entire phrase with a single word implying a guess or speculation.

surmise

Suggests a guess based on intuition or incomplete information.

hypothesize

Suggests a more formal, educated guess, often used in scientific contexts.

presume

Assumes something is the case based on probability or likelihood.

estimate

Implies a numerical approximation based on incomplete data.

infer

Derives a conclusion from facts or premises, indicating a logical deduction rather than a pure guess.

deduce

Infers information from a general rule, replacing "guess" with a form of logical reasoning.

FAQs

How can I properly use the word "guess" in a sentence?

Use "guess" with prepositions like "at" (e.g., "I can "guess at" the answer") or in phrases like "I guess" to express uncertainty or supposition (e.g., "I guess I'll go now").

What are some alternatives to "guess" when I'm not sure about something?

You can use alternatives like "estimate", "speculate", "surmise", or "hypothesize" depending on the context and the level of certainty you want to convey. Each word carries a slightly different nuance.

Is "guess out" ever grammatically correct?

While some instances of "guess out" may appear in informal speech or writing, it's generally considered non-standard. It is often better to use alternative phrasing such as "figure out" or "work out".

What's the difference between "guess at" and "guess out"?

"Guess at" is a standard and acceptable phrase, meaning to make an estimate or conjecture. "Guess out," however, is not a recognized standard phrase, and its meaning can be unclear or grammatically incorrect. Always prefer "guess at" for clarity.