thought experiment

noun

: gedankenexperiment

Examples of thought experiment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As nightmare thought experiments shape the fight over how to govern a multitrillion-dollar industry, some experts say the parables may lead decision-makers astray. — Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2026

That combination makes the AGI debate harder to dismiss as a distant thought experiment. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Here’s the thought experiment that makes this concrete for me. — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026

What The Paperclip Maximizer Predicted Most people who have heard one AI safety thought experiment have heard this one. — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thought experiment

• merriment