hypothesize

American  

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

especially British, hypothesise

verb (used with object)

hypothesized, hypothesizing

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)

hypothesized, hypothesizing

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

• hypothesizer
  noun

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

But the way Stoppard incorporates mathematical concepts as rarefied as fractal geometry to explore concepts of order and chaos as the characters hypothesize on the patterns of time is Stoppardian through and through.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025

"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

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

One can hypothesize that smell is produced by particles entering the nose.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton