hypothesize

verb

hy·​poth·​e·​size hī-ˈpä-thə-ˌsīz How to pronounce hypothesize (audio)
hypothesized; hypothesizing

transitive verb

: to adopt as a hypothesis

Examples of hypothesize in a Sentence

Psychologists hypothesized that his odd behavior was caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. if we hypothesize that current population trends continue for the next 50 years
Recent Examples on the Web Reports during that event similarly hypothesized that the strange light was the result of faraway fires, though other unusual effects appeared, too. Kim Beil, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Recent research, including a paper authored by Burns’ group with climate experts at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, hypothesized that part of the cause may be dust born on strong winds from agricultural areas in China. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2024 Others hypothesized that Kelce might use the occasion of a Super Bowl victory to propose, leading to a wedding even more hyped than that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2024 To compensate for traffic disruptions, spiders in busier areas might simply be choosing larger prey, the team hypothesizes. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024 Climate change, researchers hypothesize, is supercharging valley fever, and increasingly intense atmospheric rivers—responsible for roughly 50 percent of the West Coast’s annual water supply—are creating ideal conditions for the spores to spread. Zoya Teirstein, WIRED, 17 Feb. 2024 There’s currently no research studying magnesium’s effect on individual stages of sleep, but Kilkenny hypothesizes that someone taking a magnesium supplement may get an extra few minutes of sleep per night, increasing the total time at rest. Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Scientific American, 16 Feb. 2024 Through it all, Riley – a longtime savant who’s been near-constantly hypothesized and rumored to ascend to the NFL – stayed pat, wholly focused on filling positions at USC rather than seeking them elsewhere. Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2024 Additionally, the model hypothesized over 300 new attack patterns, which is information organizations can use to harden their security posture. Sridhar Muppidi, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hypothesize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypothesize was in 1738

Dictionary Entries Near hypothesize

Cite this Entry

“Hypothesize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothesize. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hypothesize

verb
hy·​poth·​e·​size hī-ˈpäth-ə-ˌsīz How to pronounce hypothesize (audio)
hypothesized; hypothesizing
1
: to make a hypothesis
2
: to adopt as a hypothesis

More from Merriam-Webster on hypothesize

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