hypothesize

American  

[hahy-poth-uh-sahyz, hi-] / haɪˈpɒθ əˌsaɪz, hɪ- /

especially British, hypothesise

verb (used with object)

• hypothesizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• hypothesized,
  past participle,  past
• hypothesizing
  present participle

1. to assume tentatively or set forth as a plausible explanation or as a reasonable basis for further investigation in the light of established facts.

   Given these data, we can hypothesize that the rise in truck accidents is directly related to the stressful work environment and unsafe driving practices of drivers.

2. to theorize, infer, or tentatively conclude.

   He said little, but based on his body language and tone, I hypothesized that he had feelings for her.

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verb (used without object)

• hypothesizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• hypothesized,
  past participle,  past
• hypothesizing
  present participle

1. to form or set forth, based on established facts, a plausible explanation or reasonable basis for further investigation of something.

   She has written several well-researched papers hypothesizing about the origins of language.

2. to theorize or draw tentative conclusions or inferences.

   I like to hypothesize about life in the next century.

hypothesize British  

/ haɪˈpɒθɪˌsaɪz /

verb

1. to form or assume as a hypothesis

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hypothesize Scientific  

/ hī-pŏth′ĭ-sīz′ /

1. To form a hypothesis.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hypothesizer
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• hypothesizing
  present
• hypothesized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hypothesize
  simple
• hypothesizes
  simple
• have hypothesized
  perfect
• has hypothesized
  perfect
• am hypothesizing
  progressive
• are hypothesizing
  progressive
• is hypothesizing
  progressive
• have been hypothesizing
  perfect progressive
• has been hypothesizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• hypothesized
  simple
• had hypothesized
  perfect
• was hypothesizing
  progressive
• were hypothesizing
  progressive
• had been hypothesizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hypothesize
  simple
• will have hypothesized
  perfect
• will be hypothesizing
  progressive
• will have been hypothesizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of hypothesize

First recorded in 1730–40; hypothes(is) + -ize

Explanation

To hypothesize means simply to make a hypothesis. Which is just a scientific way of saying "make a really good educated guess." Ok, so when someone hypothesizes there's a little bit more involved than just guesswork. It involves using your past knowledge and available facts to try and predict what might happen. Scientists hypothesize all the time — it's the basis for every experiment. For example, doctors examining a werewolf might hypothesize that his furry face and oddball behavior stem from an illness and not the full moon.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hypothesize hypothesizes hypothesized hypothesizing

"A lot of people hypothesize what they would have done, or whether they would have been able to take on the attacker," said Astrid.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025

Previous experiments using replicas of these trays and cooking structures similar to those found at archaeological sites from the studied period had already allowed researchers to hypothesize their function.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024

However, I hypothesize that there are more than polls count.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2024

While crash statistics aren’t yet robust enough to reach scientific conclusions on the reasons, the researchers hypothesize that the relatively quiet operations of an electric vehicle is the key factor.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2024

Why hypothesize the existence of vast, super-deadly pandemics that seem unlike anything else in the historical record?

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Emily Choquette, director of the Torrance-based Float Clinic and Research Center, says she hypothesizes that some, but not all, of the benefits received during wet floating would be achieved with dry floating, too.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026

Oktay hypothesizes that those risks also may be mitigated in healthy women who delay menopause via ovarian tissue cryopreservation.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 6, 2024

The team hypothesizes that as this foraging strategy proved successful, dinosaurs would have evolved ever larger feathers that would have eventually been capable of flight.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 25, 2024

How exactly that communication works isn't clear, but Schweikert hypothesizes that the system is working as a feedback system to keep the camouflage in check.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2023

Heckscher hypothesizes that this change in diet may help the veery return to North America in better shape, more capable of a longer breeding season.

From National Geographic ● Jul. 28, 2023

The scientists hypothesized that faster-moving fires might reach homes before firefighters can, and large blazes can threaten more homes than firefighters can defend at once.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

Drawing on these findings, Dr. Snyder hypothesized that naturally occurring psychotic episodes were likely caused by high dopamine levels in the brain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

He also hypothesized that Tesla could cut vehicle or FSD prices to make its EVs more affordable and attractive to consumers.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

The genes were biologically "toxic" to humans, researchers hypothesized, and eventually purged out -- in essence, the children who inherited those traits might not have lived to pass them on.

From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026

So it was the science fair that had brought Tamika to my doorstep, as hypothesized.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Citrini Research published a widely read report on Sunday hypothesizing about how AI could transform the economy, including day-to-day payments, dragging down the shares of companies that make money from processing them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026

My whole goal with this show was to capture a small sliver of the zeitgeist where people could be talking about something, hypothesizing and talking, and I knew that required a weekly release.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2025

Messori published a paper earlier this year noting repeated example of this phenomenon, and hypothesizing a connection to large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2023

I wore it during the day, hypothesizing that the additional data would help it distinguish sleep from horizontal wakefulness.

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2023

No amount of your analyzing, criticizing, judging, or hypothesizing will bring the peace you are looking for.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer