as in theoretic
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
Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025
The statement breaks down the math behind this shift, saying that a hypothetical product manufactured in China last year for $3.00 could now cost $4.62 before it’s even shipped to the U.S.
—Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2025
The horizontal bar chart shows the hypothetical growth of a $10,000 investment in the S&P 500 over 20 years beginning January 2005 and ending December 2024.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
That’s 11 linemen worthy of making the Week 1 roster before others are added in the final wave or two of free agency, the draft or a hypothetical trade.
—Ben Standig, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Adjective
As a hypothetical example, Bach says Nvidia might sell a graphics chip to a third-party vendor for $700, which then spends another $100 to assemble it into an actual PC graphics card.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025
The statement breaks down the math behind this shift, saying that a hypothetical product manufactured in China last year for $3.00 could now cost $4.62 before it’s even shipped to the U.S.
—Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2025
The horizontal bar chart shows the hypothetical growth of a $10,000 investment in the S&P 500 over 20 years beginning January 2005 and ending December 2024.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
That’s 11 linemen worthy of making the Week 1 roster before others are added in the final wave or two of free agency, the draft or a hypothetical trade.
—Ben Standig, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypothetical
Noun
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Courts generally proceed on the assumption that government officials have acted properly.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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Even under the assumption Aaron Rodgers finally drops the charade and signs, the Steelers need to make some sort of effort to secure a young quarterback.—
Derrik Klassen,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These tokens illustrate how speculative assets tied to political figures can generate short-term buzz but carry significant downside for everyday buyers.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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To date, all changes are speculative in nature and are unlikely to be applied retroactively.—
Cindy McGhee,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That’s just a theory, not a spoiler or even a prediction.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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The site goes on to advance the theory that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan lab and undermines Trump’s political rivals like Joe Biden and Andrew Cuomo.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Dutch theoretical physicist, now a professor emeritus at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, has spent much of the past half-century reshaping our understanding of the fundamental forces that knit together reality.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
7 Apr. 2025
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Legacy power grids, water systems and emergency response networks are no longer theoretical.—
Marty Sprinzen,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Part of our hypothesis is that entrepreneurs in adaptation may not even think of themselves as having an adaptation focus.—
Jamil Wyne,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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However, additional analyses of data from the Women’s Health Initiative along with results from further studies pointed researchers to a theory called the timing hypothesis, which suggests that the risks and benefits of hormone therapy depend on when treatment begins.—
Matthew Nudy,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypothetical. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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