as in theoretic
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
Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
For a hypothetical plus-size shopper who’s been invited to a special event and wants to wear something new, her options for shopping in-person are limited.
—Virgie Tovar, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
For The Other To Blink Given the view in Europe that Trump is abandoning NATO in favor of the Kremlin, in a hypothetical future conflict with Russia, Europe might worry that the U.S. could cut off spare parts and updates for the F-35, Aboulafia says.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 19 Mar. 2025
And Billups, to cite that hypothetical, might do a great job.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Adjective
He was asked about what to do with the cases of multiple repeat offenders, including some hypothetical cases.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
For a hypothetical plus-size shopper who’s been invited to a special event and wants to wear something new, her options for shopping in-person are limited.
—Virgie Tovar, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
For The Other To Blink Given the view in Europe that Trump is abandoning NATO in favor of the Kremlin, in a hypothetical future conflict with Russia, Europe might worry that the U.S. could cut off spare parts and updates for the F-35, Aboulafia says.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 19 Mar. 2025
And Billups, to cite that hypothetical, might do a great job.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypothetical
Noun
-
Intricate supply chains and trillions of dollars in investments—made over years based on assumptions of a world where trade barriers were being reduced or would remain constant—are now being upended.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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The assumption is the Wolves won’t be able to do that in each of their final five games, even with one of the league’s most favorable remaining schedules.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Clarity prevents reactive shifts, such as chasing speculative trends or overcorrecting after market downturns.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Black Mirror evokes anthology series like The Twilight Zone and Amazing Stories with speculative, offbeat tales that draw upon sci-fi, thriller, and horror tropes to satirize culture and interrogate moral and ethical quandaries.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Within just a few years, Einstein would publish his theory of relativity and launch an entirely new era of physics.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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As with the human brain, there are a lot of theories about how AI functions.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Over the ensuing fifteen years, publications about the theoretical or methodological implications of computer vision for the study of art have proliferated, generating an extensive discourse about its potentials.—
Sonja Drimmer,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
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Google leverages the theoretical power of generative AI to give Gemini access to data across multiple apps.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Refraining from adding personal conjecture or hypotheses might reduce any bias LLMs bring into their calculations.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The objective was to confuse enemy U-boat captains trying to determine the speed and direction of those ships, and a 1919 study seemed to support that hypothesis.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypothetical. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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