hypothetical
Americanadjective
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assumed or entertained as a theoretical possibility, invented example, premise for argument’s sake, etc.; supposed.
In the hypothetical case that you miss your flight or it is delayed, you will need a contingency plan.
- Synonyms:
- speculative, theoretical, supposition, academic
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relating to or characterized by the use of assumptions for argument’s sake or of provisional, informed conjectures to guide investigation.
Science depends on hypothetical reasoning.
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Logic.
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(of a proposition) highly conjectural; not well supported by available evidence.
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(of a proposition or syllogism) conditional.
-
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tending to resort to theoretical assumptions, conditional propositions, invented examples, etc., especially unrealistic ones; speculative.
His stuff is fun to read, but he’s so hypothetical I can’t take him seriously.
Stop the worry spiral in your mind before your thoughts become too hypothetical.
noun
adjective
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having the nature of a hypothesis
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assumed or thought to exist
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logic another word for conditional
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existing only as an idea or concept
a time machine is a hypothetical device
Other Word Forms
- hypothetically adverb
- unhypothetical adjective
Etymology
Origin of hypothetical
First recorded in 1580–90; from Greek hypothetik(ós) “supposed” ( hypo- hypo- + the- “placed, put,” base of tithénai “to place, put, set”) + -tikos -tic ) + -al 1
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.
When asked for a list of “stock picks” without the hypothetical context, Claude refused to answer, insisting that it is “not a financial advisor” and cannot provide investment recommendations.
From MarketWatch
A spokesman for Dadss says the technology is still being tested and improved, so it is too early to estimate a hypothetical false-positive rate.
The Justice Department said the paint job wasn’t a certainty and argued there was no reason for a judge to police what for now remains a hypothetical project.
The stock drop translates to about $19.4 billion in market capitalization, which is almost three times the value of the hypothetical Armis deal.
From MarketWatch
To see how the model performs, the team applied it to a hypothetical sugar kelp operation covering 1000 acres, located about 12 miles offshore in water that is 330 feet deep.
From Science Daily
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.
