hypothetically
adverb
hy·po·thet·i·cal·ly
ˌhī-pə-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē 
: by making an assumption for the sake of discussion or argument : in a hypothetical way
speaking hypothetically
In this lucid report … he uses genetic differences, maps, computer simulations and an analysis of linguistic changes in the world's languages to hypothetically reconstruct the mass migrations of people across continents since modern humans first appeared.—
Genevieve Stuttaford
Genevieve StuttafordWe asked ourselves hypothetically: If the chairmen of the boards of these major tobacco companies walked in here today and said, "Okay, we're ready to do a deal," what did we want?—Lewis H. Lapham
—used to suggest what is theoretically possibleLewis H. LaphamHypothetically, you could use a computer to synthesize a large number of harmonics, add them back together, and reproduce a sound similar to that of the bowed violin string.—Dragan Huterer
Dragan HutererExamples of hypothetically in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But in a world where, hypothetically, athletes were employees of power conferences (which are private entities), those athletes could likely unionize under the National Labor Relations Act.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The difference now, according to the Chronicle, is that Texas' bluest cities are being carved up and would hypothetically lead to a Republican majority on par with the nation's reddest state, Wyoming.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Consider hypothetically, a hospital operations manager who increased critical supply restock efficiency by 10% through process improvements, awaiting promotion and recognition that never comes.
—Juliette Han, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Start by asking yourself one question: Why? Those couples who hypothetically walked into my office may look the same, but their financial backgrounds and experiences can also be vastly different.
—Harmon Kong, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetically
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Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The difference now, according to the Chronicle, is that Texas' bluest cities are being carved up and would hypothetically lead to a Republican majority on par with the nation's reddest state, Wyoming.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Consider hypothetically, a hospital operations manager who increased critical supply restock efficiency by 10% through process improvements, awaiting promotion and recognition that never comes.
—Juliette Han, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Start by asking yourself one question: Why? Those couples who hypothetically walked into my office may look the same, but their financial backgrounds and experiences can also be vastly different.
—Harmon Kong, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetically
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothetically. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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