Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense theorizes, present participle theorizing, past tense, past participle theorizedregional note: in BRIT, also use theorise
verb
If you theorize that something is true or theorize about it, you develop an abstract idea or set of ideas about something in order to explain it.
Police are theorizing that the killers may be posing as hitchhikers. [VERB that]
By studying the way people behave, we can theorize about what is going on in theirmind. [VERB + about]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: speculate, conjecture, hypothesize, project More Synonyms of theorize
theorizinguncountable noun
This was no time for theorizing.
theorize in British English
or theorise (ˈθɪəˌraɪz)
verb
(intransitive)
to produce or use theories; speculate
Derived forms
theorization (ˌtheoriˈzation) or theorisation (ˌtheoriˈsation)
noun
theorizer (ˈtheoˌrizer) or theoriser (ˈtheoˌriser)
noun
theorize in American English
(ˈθiəˌraɪz)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈtheoˌrized or ˈtheoˌrizing
to form a theory or theories; speculate
Derived forms
theorizer (ˈtheoˌrizer)
noun
theorization (ˌtheoriˈzation)
noun
Examples of 'theorize' in a sentence
theorize
I know there are some psychoanalysts who theorize that every creature which appears in a dream or waking dream is an aspect of the dreamer.
Clive Barker GALILEE (2001)
I theorize that they were engendered by an escaped demon, trying to grow to human form.
Lois McMaster Bujold THE CURSE OF CHALION (2001)
In other languages
theorize
British English: theorize VERB
If you theorize that something is true or theorize about it, you develop an idea or a set of ideas about something in order to explain it.
Police are theorizing that the robbers may be posing as hitchhikers.
American English: theorize
Brazilian Portuguese: teorizar
Chinese: 推论
European Spanish: teorizar
French: théoriser
German: theoretisieren
Italian: teorizzare
Japanese: 理論化する
Korean: 이론을 제시하다
European Portuguese: teorizar
Latin American Spanish: teorizar
(verb)
Definition
to produce or use theories
We can theorize about their minds by watching them behave.
Synonyms
speculate
The reader can speculate about what will happen next.
conjecture
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
hypothesize
project
suppose
Where do you suppose he's got to?
guess
I can only guess what it cost her to tell you the truth.
formulate
propound
blue-sky
Additional synonyms
in the sense of conjecture
Definition
to form (an opinion or conclusion) from incomplete evidence
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
Synonyms
guess,
speculate,
surmise,
theorize,
suppose,
imagine,
assume,
fancy,
infer,
hypothesize,
suspect
in the sense of guess
Definition
to arrive at a correct estimate of (something) by guessing
I can only guess what it cost her to tell you the truth.
Synonyms
estimate,
predict,
work out,
speculate,
fathom,
conjecture,
postulate,
surmise,
hazard a guess,
hypothesize
in the sense of suppose
Definition
to consider (something) as a possible suggestion for the sake of discussion