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

• theoretic
• speculative
• theoretical

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

In Baltimore County, this hypothetical is even worse. —John Hohman, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2025

Peltola, meanwhile, held a lead over Republican candidates in a hypothetical poll of the governor race. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025

The legislation in Tennessee was targeted against a hypothetical solution to climate change in which aerosols would be deployed to block out some of the sun’s rays. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2025

One way is to compare related words in languages arising from a common ancestor, which brings us to the hypothetical mother tongue scholars call Proto-Indo-European. —Martha Barnette august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 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