hypothetical

adjective

hy·​po·​thet·​i·​cal ˌhī-pə-ˈthe-ti-kəl 

: involving or being based on a suggested idea or theory : being or involving a hypothesis : conjectural

hypothetical arguments

a hypothetical situation

hypothetical noun

Synonyms of hypothetical

• theoretical
• speculative

Examples of hypothetical in a Sentence

She described a hypothetical case to clarify her point.

we talked about what we would do in various hypothetical emergencies

Recent Examples on the Web

This week Utah turned that hypothetical into reality. —Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 11 Dec. 2025

Ukraine will not gain anything by waiting to negotiate from a hypothetical future position of strength; such a position will not come soon, if ever. —Thomas Graham, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2025

In her debut novel Tilt, voted one of Scientific American’s best fiction books of 2025, Pattee explores this hypothetical day through the eyes of Annie, a Portland local who is nine months pregnant and shopping for cribs at IKEA when disaster strikes. —Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 9 Dec. 2025

That raises another hypothetical possibility, which is far more simple. —Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hypothetical

• alphabetical
• antithetical
• arithmetical
• catechetical
• exegetical
• homiletical
• parenthetical
• theoretical
• aesthetical
• genetical
• heretical
• magnetical

Kids Definition

hypothetical

adjective

hy·​po·​thet·​i·​cal ˌhi-pə-ˈthet-i-kəl 

1

: involving a hypothesis or the making of assumptions : assumed

2

: imagined for purposes of example

a hypothetical case

hypothetically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb