Synonyms of hypothesis

hypothesis

noun

hī-ˈpä-thə-səs 

as in theory

an idea that is the starting point for making a case or conducting an investigation

working on the hypothesis that teenagers function better in the late morning, some high schools are starting classes later

Synonyms & Similar Words

• theory
• thesis
• proposition
• premise
• assumption
• suggestion
• guess
• supposition
• impression
• proposal
• inference
• theorem
• hunch
• conjecture
• suspicion
• speculation
• presumption
• notion
• generalization
• concept
• presupposition
• surmise
• concession
• construct
• conception
• guesswork
• abstraction
• feeling
• proffer
• inkling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fact
• knowledge
• assurance
• certainty

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun hypothesis differ from other similar words?

The words law and theory are common synonyms of hypothesis. While all three words mean "a formula derived by inference from scientific data that explains a principle operating in nature," hypothesis implies insufficient evidence to provide more than a tentative explanation.

a hypothesis explaining the extinction of the dinosaurs

When can law be used instead of hypothesis?

The synonyms law and hypothesis are sometimes interchangeable, but law implies a statement of order and relation in nature that has been found to be invariable under the same conditions.

the law of gravitation

In what contexts can theory take the place of hypothesis?

The words theory and hypothesis can be used in similar contexts, but theory implies a greater range of evidence and greater likelihood of truth.

the theory of evolution

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hypothesis

Hunters eventually found more such Pfeilstorchs (arrow storks), giving credence to the hypothesis that the white stork not only migrated but did so between Europe and Africa. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

One possible hypothesis comes in the prologue, set on June 9, 1956, turning on Police Commissioner Folcada, which suggests the terrible impunity of power. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

And this, according to Penrose’s hypothesis, developed independently by the Hungarian physicist Lajos Diósi, is where quantum mechanics should break down. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

But there was a problem—this hypothesis contradicted earlier studies of betel nut usage. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026