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
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
The experiment relies on detecting the faint interactions between hypothetical dark matter particles and atoms of liquid xenon, a noble gas chosen for its purity and stability.
—
Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
However, trouble began brewing for this couple right away in Mexico when Kalybriah proposed a hypothetical issue and didn't like Edmond's response.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
As the Rockies bumbled through the 2025 season, The Athletic asked rival executives about hypothetical ways to fix the franchise.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
And while there’s still a long way to go before that hypothetical matchup can come to fruition, the pitcher sent a message to Blue Jays fans about moving on from his former team.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
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Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
However, trouble began brewing for this couple right away in Mexico when Kalybriah proposed a hypothetical issue and didn't like Edmond's response.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
As the Rockies bumbled through the 2025 season, The Athletic asked rival executives about hypothetical ways to fix the franchise.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
And while there’s still a long way to go before that hypothetical matchup can come to fruition, the pitcher sent a message to Blue Jays fans about moving on from his former team.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothetical. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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