as in theoretic
existing only as an assumption or speculation
we talked about what we would do in various hypothetical emergencies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hypothetical
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
This hypothetical buyer is financing 80% of the purchase price.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Aaron Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Governor does not comment on hypotheticals, spokesman says DeWine's reticence on the guard question came a little more than a half hour into a press conference called to announce a new agreement for the state patrol to assist crime-fighting in Cincinnati.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Adjective
And while there’s still a long way to go before that hypothetical matchup can come to fruition, the pitcher sent a message to Blue Jays fans about moving on from his former team.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
This hypothetical buyer is financing 80% of the purchase price.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
In construction, hiring often relies on regional knowledge, team dynamics and reputation—factors that structured dialogue or hypotheticals cannot capture effectively.
—Aaron Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Governor does not comment on hypotheticals, spokesman says DeWine's reticence on the guard question came a little more than a half hour into a press conference called to announce a new agreement for the state patrol to assist crime-fighting in Cincinnati.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypothetical
Noun
-
Most of us remain trapped in our own language bubble and cultural assumptions, and the publishing industry is no exception.—
The Dial,
The Dial,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The assumption is that viewers will bring their own answers to those questions — and that for myriad reasons, the series will be unwatchable for some audiences and a tough watch for everybody.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Nevertheless, the team, led by senior analyst Vivek Arya, argued that the deal is structured by performance and competitive need, rather than pure speculative frenzy.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
-
While Black Ops 6 toyed with a more grounded, back-to-the-basics approach of UAVs, airstrikes, and attack choppers as scorestreak rewards for tallying enough points or kills, the speculative fiction framework of BLOPS 7 means everything requires a heightened tone.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Nikumaroro theory suggests that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, landed on the island’s reef before their plane was swept away.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Although Robson took more than a decade to put his theory to the test, his experiments in the 1980s proved his hunch was correct.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Our own investments in AI over the last decade have transitioned from theoretical exploration to practical implementation, delivering tangible results for businesses.—
Derya Matras,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
-
To overcome that, some investors are choosing to back companies that use AI to solve immediate and costly business problems for established large clients, rather than chase a theoretical potential.—
Ganesh Rao,Julianna Tatelbaum,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For a discovery to count, the AI has to oversee the entire project, from hypothesis generation to experiment design to data analysis.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The new hypothesis about them is one of several novel ideas that theorists have been proposing since this spring, when the latest DESI results were published.—
Rebecca Boyle,
Scientific American,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypothetical. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share