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
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
Proponents of the move say the reserve would act as a hedge against financial instability in a hypothetical future in which cryptocurrencies replace regular money issued by central banks.
—
Allison Morrow, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Proponents argued that an investment in Bitcoin would help the government chip away at the $36 trillion national debt, and ensure that the United States remained dominant in a hypothetical future where the global economy runs on cryptocurrencies.
—David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2025
But another faction of AI experts argue that debating those hypothetical risks is obscuring the real damage AI is already doing: Automated hiring systems reinforcing discrimination.
—Bryan Walsh, Vox, 5 Mar. 2025
In Trump’s hypothetical, a company like Apple would buy five licenses and hire as many people.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
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Allison Morrow, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Proponents argued that an investment in Bitcoin would help the government chip away at the $36 trillion national debt, and ensure that the United States remained dominant in a hypothetical future where the global economy runs on cryptocurrencies.
—David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2025
But another faction of AI experts argue that debating those hypothetical risks is obscuring the real damage AI is already doing: Automated hiring systems reinforcing discrimination.
—Bryan Walsh, Vox, 5 Mar. 2025
In Trump’s hypothetical, a company like Apple would buy five licenses and hire as many people.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothetical
Cite this Entry
“Hypothetical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothetical. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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