thought experiment

American  

noun

1. Physics. a demonstration or calculation that is based on the postulates of a theory, as relativity, and that demonstrates or clarifies the consequences of the postulates.

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Etymology

Origin of thought experiment

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

A viral thought experiment by Citrini Research foretelling mass white-collar unemployment, cratering consumer spending and financial contagion tapped into deep anxieties about the technology both on Wall Street and among the broader public.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

For Tesla’s Musk, space-based data centers appear to be well more than just a thought experiment.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

In Citrini’s thought experiment, competitors could use coding agents to easily launch delivery apps, and drivers could use multi-app dashboards to find the best gigs.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

It’s a thought experiment more than anything else, from a story by Komasa and Lori Rosene-Gambino, the latter who wrote the screenplay.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

He went back to his old thought experiment and began to study it carefully, this time with the help of real tanks, real blocks of wood and pieces of marble.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton