as in hypothesis
an idea that is the starting point for making a case or conducting an investigation set out to prove her theory that people can't really taste any difference between colas, so they buy according to the product's image

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How does the noun theory differ from other similar words?

The words hypothesis and law are common synonyms of theory. While all three words mean "a formula derived by inference from scientific data that explains a principle operating in nature," theory implies a greater range of evidence and greater likelihood of truth.

the theory of evolution

When would hypothesis be a good substitute for theory?

Although the words hypothesis and theory have much in common, hypothesis implies insufficient evidence to provide more than a tentative explanation.

a hypothesis explaining the extinction of the dinosaurs

When might law be a better fit than theory?

The meanings of law and theory largely overlap; however, law implies a statement of order and relation in nature that has been found to be invariable under the same conditions.

the law of gravitation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of theory Leadership theory suggests CEOs should focus on high-level issues such as strategy and resource allocation. Scott Cook, Harvard Business Review, 14 Oct. 2025 One theory for how Whitney may have escaped his genetic fate stems from his time in the Navy. Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025 Howitt and Aghion followed up with a theory on how creative destruction allows one technological advance to give way to another, so what's a breakthrough in one generation is obsolete by the next. Scott Horsley, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025 Yet his theory leans on outdated models of deep history. Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for theory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theory
Noun
  • Capturing a moment under specific conditions can help validate a hypothesis or guide mission changes.
    Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The numbers appeared to back up his hypothesis, with the show welcoming 12,000 visitors over its four-day run, up from around 9,500 a year ago.
    Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The benefits of that blockbuster merger, which gave Capital One a proprietary payments network to lessen its reliance on Mastercard and Visa over time, are at the heart of our investment thesis.
    Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2025
  • For instance, some of you could be focusing on something as simple as a website update or creating new social media content or something larger like a thesis.
    Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theory. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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