hypothetical

adjective

hy·​po·​thet·​i·​cal ˌhī-pə-ˈthe-ti-kəl 

: involving or being based on a suggested idea or theory : being or involving a hypothesis : conjectural

hypothetical arguments

a hypothetical situation

hypothetical noun

Synonyms

• theoretic
• speculative
• theoretical

Examples of hypothetical in a Sentence

She described a hypothetical case to clarify her point.

we talked about what we would do in various hypothetical emergencies

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, civil society groups, ranging from the Electronic Frontier Foundation to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, argue that those harms are not hypothetical, but are here now. —Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025

The challenge here was to think about a hypothetical world unique and singular to the world of the film – neither past, present nor future. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2025

Some people recommended hypothetical responses that the 31-year-old could give his mooching roommate. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2025

Having that possibility on the table made the conversation less hypothetical and more rooted in what their reality could be. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 26 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hypothetical

• alphabetical
• antithetical
• arithmetical
• catechetical
• exegetical
• homiletical
• parenthetical
• theoretical
• aesthetical
• genetical
• heretical
• magnetical

Kids Definition

hypothetical

adjective

hy·​po·​thet·​i·​cal ˌhi-pə-ˈthet-i-kəl 

1

: involving a hypothesis or the making of assumptions : assumed

2

: imagined for purposes of example

a hypothetical case

hypothetically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb