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
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hypotheticals
plural
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Explanation
Everyone who has ever taken a science class knows the word "hypothesis," which means an idea, or a guess, that you are going to test through an experiment. A hypothetical is related to that. It means something based on an informed guess. Hypotheticals are fun. How would you do in a hypothetical arm-wrestling competition against your Grandma? There are people in the Pentagon whose jobs are to consider all kinds of hypotheticals––what if Luxembourg armed itself with nuclear weapons? What if France developed the ability to pelt Switzerland with cannons firing cheeses?
Vocabulary lists containing hypothetical
Argumentative Writing
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Words That Could Go Either Way: Synonyms for "Maybe"
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
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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.
See Examples For:
Dark Stars are hypothetical primordial stars that would receive much of their energy from heating associated with dark matter instead of relying primarily on ordinary nuclear fusion.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
It’s a grim idea, that our hope is in a tool that discourages in-depth reading and a long-shot hypothetical strategy—both of which rely on technology known for sowing confusion.
From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026
The White House said it wouldn’t respond to hypothetical questions about the midterm election, but said anyone who breaks voting laws will be held accountable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Slavin says he believes he was fired for having stated in an interview that "in a hypothetical situation, censorship would be a red line".
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Courtesy NASA. shapeType32lineWidth24130shapeType32lineWidth24130shapeType32lineWidth24130A hypothetical ice planet in the system of the Ring Nebula in Lyra.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
However, Judge Nicholas Rimmer said that estimate hinged on multiple hypotheticals and therefore reduced the value to £340,000.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“A.I. embodies hypotheticals I can only imagine for myself,” she wrote for the Atlantic in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2026
But none of the other justices appeared to be won over by these hypotheticals.
From Slate ● Apr. 1, 2026
People who deal in hypotheticals and emotions are generally unswayed by facts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
In the evenings at our apartment, he rehearsed for every outcome, immersing himself in hypotheticals the rest of us found bizarre.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
