stab in the dark
Shot without information
A stab in the dark is a guess made without adequate information—an attempt at something when you can't see the outcome clearly.
The phrase evokes blindly thrusting a knife, hoping to hit something: I don't know her exact age, but I'd guess forty—that's a stab in the dark.
Often used to acknowledge uncertainty before venturing an answer.
- guessEstimate without certainty
- guesstimateRough, intuitive calculation
- best guessLikeliest prediction attempted
- hunchUnproven inner sense
- probeThorough examination or tool
random guess · surmise · opinion · reach · speculation · gut feeling · blind · conjecture · attempt · hypothesis · fumble · murk · mystery · randomness · shadow · trial-and-error · stumble · flying blind
- guessingguess, prediction, hypothesis, conjecture, speculation
- gamblesgamble, bet, wager, risk, chance
stab in the darkinformed decision
Choice made with facts
informed guess · educated guess · sure thing · certainty · informed choice
stab, dark, stabbed, stabbing, stabs, stabber, darker, darkest, darkly