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
Julia Mueller, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2026
While his barrel rate improved by 5 percentage points, regression is expected; projections foresee a drop to 12-15 HR but leave room for upside, such as a hypothetical 20-40 season if his power gains and prior speed levels combine.
—Derek Vanriper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
Musk triumphed in many such hypotheticals.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Adjective
In hypothetical general election match-ups, both Paxton and Cornyn won against either Talarico or Crockett.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2026
While his barrel rate improved by 5 percentage points, regression is expected; projections foresee a drop to 12-15 HR but leave room for upside, such as a hypothetical 20-40 season if his power gains and prior speed levels combine.
—Derek Vanriper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
That’s a scary thought dependent on a whole lot of hypotheticals, but the theoretical doomsday is a strong reminder for moviegoers to find community that’s small and local.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
Musk triumphed in many such hypotheticals.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypothetical
Adjective
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Without proper passivation, the wafer edges act as a drain, negating the theoretical performance benefits these wafers could provide.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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What makes this moment distinct is that the debate no longer feels theoretical.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Some facts could begin to emerge around a situation that was mired in assumptions or unknown elements.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
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The team’s findings challenge long-standing assumptions about how vibrational images represent atomic motion, and offer a more accurate way to interpret data from high-resolution spectroscopic tools.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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To my eye, Zurek has almost tied up the loose ends that have been confounding physics for 100 years, without invoking any substantially new or speculative assumptions.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
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Deutsche Bank’s Reid noted that much of the selling driven by these anecdotes was purely speculative.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Manuel’s approach to narrative structure draws on literary and philosophical theory.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
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And some have theorized that being a carrier for cystic fibrosis can defend against severe cholera, although the evidence for this theory is more scant.—
Roxanne Khamsi,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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If multiple hypotheses do not explain the data equally well, then the one that explains the data more accurately and comprehensively is superior.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
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If there are answers to these questions, or informed hypotheses, this biography does not provide them.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypothetical. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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