null hypothesis
noun
: a statistical hypothesis to be tested and accepted or rejected in favor of an alternative
specifically
: the hypothesis that an observed difference (as between the means of two samples) is due to chance alone and not due to a systematic cause
Examples of null hypothesis in a Sentence
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What is the probability that the event (the drawing) occurs under the assumption of the null hypothesis?
—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
24 Jan. 2026
For that reason, most scientists employ what is called the null hypothesis significance testing framework.
—
Mark Louie Ramos,
The Conversation,
26 Nov. 2025
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Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
24 Jan. 2026
For that reason, most scientists employ what is called the null hypothesis significance testing framework.
—
Mark Louie Ramos,
The Conversation,
26 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Null hypothesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/null%20hypothesis. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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