hypothetical

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Imagined or suggested for discussion rather than actually true or having happened.

   Grammar: Usually before a noun: a hypothetical question.

   Patterns

   • a hypothetical situation
   • a hypothetical example

   Let's consider a hypothetical case where the power fails.

   The teacher gave a hypothetical example to explain the rule.

   That is a purely hypothetical scenario.

2. 2nouncountableinformal

   A made-up situation used to test an idea or argument.

   Grammar: Countable, often in law and debate: pose a hypothetical.

   Patterns

   • pose a hypothetical
   • a hypothetical about something

   The lawyer posed a hypothetical to the witness.

   Let me ask you a hypothetical about the budget.

   Her answer was only a hypothetical.

Word forms

Common combinations

a hypothetical question

That is a hypothetical question, so I won't answer.

a hypothetical situation

Imagine a hypothetical situation in which you win.

purely hypothetical

The risk is purely hypothetical.

hypothetical example

Here is a hypothetical example.

hypothetical scenario

They tested a hypothetical scenario with experts.

Synonyms and how they differ

theoretical

Theoretical describes ideas based on theory rather than practice, while hypothetical describes an imagined case.

speculative

Speculative implies guessing without full evidence, which hypothetical does not necessarily do.

imaginary

Imaginary means existing only in the mind, whereas hypothetical is used to test an idea.

supposed

Supposed means assumed to be true, while hypothetical does not claim truth.

Opposites

Word family

hypothesis noun

a suggested explanation to be tested

hypothesize verb

to suggest an explanation

hypothetically adverb

in an imagined case

hypothesized adjective

suggested as an idea

Commonly confused: hypothetical or theoretical?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hypothetical”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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