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 Although many other theories were quite amusing on social media. Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 One theory is that imports increased as businesses tried to buy more goods before the tariffs took effect. Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025 By cultivating a multitude of such microbial habitats, the researchers can compare them and develop theories of how ecological communities work. Gabriel Popkin, Quanta Magazine, 16 June 2025 Lewis links our veneration of individual genius to the popularity of the Great Man theory of history. S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for theory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theory
Noun
  • Failing to test hypotheses via incremental launches and skipping milestone checks risks prioritizing activity over impact, wasting resources on features customers may not value or use rather than driving meaningful innovation.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • In the search for extraterrestrial life, much like climate change, there is a detection and attribution phase, which requires the robust testing of hypotheses and also rigorous scrutiny.
    Oliver Swainston, Space.com, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • But Musselman sees the ongoing turbulence in the world — conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East — as proof of Union’s thesis.
    David Jeans, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • In one scene, Agnes is wearing a pair of chunky combat boots, and old, worn pages of her thesis are taped to her window.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 29 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theory. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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