as in theoretical
existing only as an assumption or speculation
we talked about what we would do in various hypothetical emergencies
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as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
believes that predictions of the extinction of certain species as the result of global warming are based upon too many hypotheticals
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Recent Examples of hypothetical
Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
The team modeled a hypothetical nuclear yield and calculated the resulting antineutrino spectrum.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2025
Bell might also question those billionaires and pose hypotheticals to gauge their reactions.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Adjective
Although that hypothetical will never happen.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
The team modeled a hypothetical nuclear yield and calculated the resulting antineutrino spectrum.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Musk triumphed in many such hypotheticals.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2025
Bell might also question those billionaires and pose hypotheticals to gauge their reactions.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypothetical
Adjective
-
As with every cycle, some schools will benefit more than others from district realignment, but Carter said getting too wrapped up in theoretical scenarios doesn’t serve much purpose.—
Colby Gordon,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Originally, this was a great mystery, as cosmic rays were known to be composed almost exclusively of protons, and the theoretical limit on a proton that traveled through intergalactic space should forbid such excessively high energies.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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While index funds have traditionally been viewed as diversified investments, increasing market concentration is changing this assumption.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The assumption was he’d be paired with Young, and the Hawks would be looking to make a major move in the Eastern Conference.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Golf’s resurgence isn’t being carried by a single superstar or a speculative building boom.—
Steve Skinner,
Sportico.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
For institutions and individuals to look to crypto as anything more than a speculative asset, the technology must have legitimate use cases and outperform existing solutions.—
Matthew Kayser,
Freep.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Warsh’s theory of the case is built in part on his long-standing criticism of the Fed’s massive balance sheet.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
-
By calling itself an institute, the artist-run organization adopts the traditional markers of academic power while collapsing the hierarchies of collegiate critical theory and interdisciplinary studies programs.—
Catherine Taft,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But within a day, the entire hypothesis flopped.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
This means that the probabilities for the null hypothesis and the alternative hypothesis remain completely unchanged by this suspicious draw.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypothetical. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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