hypothetically
Americanadverb
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according to what is assumed as a premise in an argument.
Hypothetically, without friction or other resistance a toy car on a track could cruise along indefinitely, provided it never went higher than its starting point.
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in a way that is theoretically possible but not proven; conjecturally; speculatively.
Hypothetically, these nanobots would be able to traverse any type of terrain and would therefore be ideal for exploration missions on other planets.
While hypothetically this could be the case, you appear to have no evidence to support it.
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according to what is assumed or imagined; supposedly.
I do legal transcription and hypothetically clean the house while my children are at school.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hypothetically
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Even if the war were hypothetically to end tomorrow, the price of oil is still going to be higher versus a year ago for a minimum of the next one to two months,” said Molchanov.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
"Nobody really knows," Arlotta said, adding she suspected organoids could hypothetically last a little longer.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Many readers caught my recent gaffe when I asked, hypothetically, what if Rivian’s or Tesla’s first model had been a pickup?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
If there was hypothetically a Lions tour this summer, he is going on it.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
“Even if they were, hypothetically, a little unusual? And even if you hadn’t paid a fee and sent in a form by the deadline and didn’t have any money?”
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
