How to Use theoretically in a Sentence

theoretically

adverb
  • Utah could theoretically get to the CFP even with a loss to the Gators, but the road there would be much harder.
    Josh Newman, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 July 2022
  • And what about the lives that AI could just as theoretically end?
    David Meyer, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2023
  • That, then, could theoretically be a point in favor of taking the case out of the FTC.
    Kate Cox, Ars Technica, 30 Nov. 2020
  • As a member of Gen-Z, this theoretically wasn’t the show for me.
    Heather Bushman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 May 2023
  • There's a strong chance Dallas winds up with the No. 4 seed and would thus be the squad theoretically lined up to face Green Bay in the second round.
    Jr Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2022
  • Sure, the court said, Uber drivers theoretically get to choose what sort of car to use—but Uber vets the make and model first.
    Aarian Marshall, Wired, 19 Feb. 2021
  • The Swiss driver is back at Indy for the first time since 2015 and theoretically in the best car of her career.
    Jenna Fryer, orlandosentinel.com, 24 May 2021
  • Bernanke met with anyone on the Right who would meet with him, and who theoretically had juice.
    John Tamny, Forbes, 14 Aug. 2022
  • And even in the adult sphere, Lynskey spent most of the first season siloed off from the mysteries that are theoretically the show’s bread and butter.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2022
  • Each team in that group theoretically has a case for a No. 1 seed, but their resumes are mixed.
    Jon Hale, The Courier-Journal, 17 Feb. 2022
  • But what Project 2025 puts down in black and white is not theoretically scary.
    Washington Post Live, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
  • It’s not the friendliest matchup, but theoretically someone has to score for the Bears.
    Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, 23 Oct. 2020
  • So there could theoretically still be some hope of very hardy aliens on Trappist-1b.
    Eric MacK, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
  • The Texans would theoretically miss out on a haul of picks for the 2021 draft by sitting on Watson, but that shouldn’t be the deadline to trade him.
    BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2021
  • Ok, but theoretically what would happen if the US tried to take the Panama Canal?
    Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
  • Head here for a look at players who could — theoretically — fit the bill.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 28 July 2025
  • But look at the players theoretically available to them at the moment, and the prices being asked.
    Patrick Murray, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2021
  • This year’s Red Sox should theoretically have more depth to draw from.
    Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2024
  • In the same ways Minnesota can’t match up with Phoenix’s offense, the same should theoretically be true on the other end.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2024
  • When completed, a project could theoretically go from script stage to picture lock all in the same building in the shadow of the Hell Gate Bridge.
    Jordan Hoffman, Curbed, 2 Feb. 2022
  • Bolden could also theoretically be kept as No. 15 -- if the Cavs want to go that way.
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 19 Dec. 2020
  • One of the big challenges of doing something in the dream world is that there are theoretically no boundaries.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
  • There are a few ways this could, theoretically, still work out.
    Ben Dummett, WSJ, 3 Apr. 2023
  • Even though the Saints will theoretically have running back Alvin Kamara back, the rest of the offense has been shaky.
    Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 23 Nov. 2021
  • The NFC West could theoretically get four teams in the playoffs, the division champion and then the three wild card teams.
    Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 28 Oct. 2020
  • The main reason for that is the theoretically endless range.
    Corey Gaskin, Ars Technica, 27 Mar. 2023
  • But that should, theoretically, also provide the Bears chances to get going on the ground.
    Dan Wiederer, chicagotribune.com, 17 Oct. 2020
  • The four-time MVP could also theoretically ask for a one-year deal worth around $47 million.
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 3 Aug. 2022
  • Zoom in: On the plus side, agents can work 24/7 and a small number of humans can theoretically oversee vast numbers of AI agents.
    Ina Fried, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
  • The plaintiffs allege that although the ban theoretically allows for national interest exceptions, in practice, none have been granted to date.
    Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'theoretically.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: