second-guess
verb
sec·ond-guess
ˌse-kᵊŋ-ˈges 
-kən(d)-
second-guessed; second-guessing; second-guesses
1
: to criticize or question actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known
meet almost every morning and, over coffee, second-guess the local coach—
Bruce Newman
Bruce Newman
also
: to engage in such criticism of (an action or decision)
second-guess the general's strategy
2
: to seek to anticipate or predict
lived royally by his ability to second-guess the stock market—Time
Time
second-guesser
noun
Examples of second-guess in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Without trust, the board is more likely to second-guess leadership and slow down momentum.
—Rachel Durose, Harvard Business Review, 28 May 2025
Nick Pivetta never second-guessed himself and stayed patient.
—John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Trump appointee James Ho argued courts have no ability to second-guess executives about which threats rise to the level of an invasion and justify military action.
—Molly Redden, ProPublica, 23 May 2025
Iris even lays out the exact order in which everyone will go and the sort of hazards to look out for, which means the protagonists second-guess their every step to a Looney Tunes–level extent.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-guess
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Rachel Durose, Harvard Business Review, 28 May 2025
Nick Pivetta never second-guessed himself and stayed patient.
—John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Trump appointee James Ho argued courts have no ability to second-guess executives about which threats rise to the level of an invasion and justify military action.
—Molly Redden, ProPublica, 23 May 2025
Iris even lays out the exact order in which everyone will go and the sort of hazards to look out for, which means the protagonists second-guess their every step to a Looney Tunes–level extent.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-guess
Cite this Entry
“Second-guess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second-guess. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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