hypothetically

American  

[hahy-puh-thet-i-klee] / ˌhaɪ pəˈθɛt ɪ kli /

adverb

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. according to what is assumed or imagined; supposedly.

   I do legal transcription and hypothetically clean the house while my children are at school.

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Other Word Forms

• unhypothetically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of hypothetically

hypothetical ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

But even if that’s not the end of the brutal crypto selloff, Strategy “has the wherewithal to ride out a hypothetically much steeper Bitcoin rout,” TD Cowen analyst Lance Vitanza said in a note Friday.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

But there are inherent weaknesses: hypothetically, the official approving a bar license or passing a fire-safety check is the friend, neighbour, or maybe even cousin of the bar owner.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

Or, hypothetically, when a member of the U.S. military or the executive branch tries to make several years’ worth of salary by betting on whether a looming secret operation will succeed?

From Slate • Jan. 6, 2026

Literally none of it could even hypothetically be accomplished within that timeframe.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025

“Let’s say, hypothetically of course, that . . . someone . . . could know what people are thinking, read minds, you know — with a few exceptions.”

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Related Words

• apparently
• doubtless
• probably
• seemingly
• supposedly
• surely