second-guess

present singular third person second-guesses · participle present second-guessing · participle past second-guessed · past second-guessed · alternative second guess

1. transitiveTo vet or evaluate; to criticize or correct, often by hindsight, by presuming to have a better idea, method, etc.

   Please don't try to second-guess the procedure that we have already refined and adopted.

   4 more examples

   Once she began listening to her instincts and didn't second-guess herself the entire time, her artwork improved noticeably.

   Public administration would be hamstrung if courts were free to second-guess reasonable administrative decisions.

   1959, U.S. Court of Appeals proceedings

   As a practical matter, a fertilizer company could not afford to second-guess the Federal Trade Commission or a jury in a triple damage case on so obscure a point.

   1957, United States Senate proceedings

   If you suspect you've stepped over the line, ask a few other copy editors to second-guess your headline.

   2003, Editing Today

   Synonyms: reconsider, rethink, think over

2. intransitivetransitiveTo anticipate or predict someone's actions or thoughts by guesswork.

   In this day and age, it's so easy to stress / 'Cause people are strange and you can never second-guess

   2000, Paul Godfrey, Ross Godfrey, Skye Edwards, “Rome Wasn't Built In a Day”, in Fragments of Freedom, performed by Morcheeba

   2 more examples

   The Securities and Exchange Commission says Goldman misled two clients by failing to give adequate disclosure.[…] It is impossible to second-guess the case's outcome. But Goldman is already viewed by many as guilty.

   2010 April 24, “Greedy Until Proven Guilty”, in The Economist, volume 395, number 8679, page 13

   But it is not Network Rail's job to second guess whether the sponsoring authority really does need the scheme, and whether it has looked at other options.

   2019 November 6, Dennis Fancett, Rail, page 54