hypothetical

hypothetical — adjective

1. based on an idea that is accepted as true for now so that you can think about wh

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

based on an idea that is accepted as true for now so that you can think about what might happen next, not because it is known to be real or proven.

Example

The economics professor asked the class to discuss a hypothetical case of sudden market collapse.

attributive: hypothetical + case

The merger question Lucía asked was purely hypothetical — no real plan existed.

predicative: be + purely hypothetical

Common collocations
  • hypothetical case
  • hypothetical situation
  • hypothetical scenario
  • hypothetical question
  • hypothetical example
  • purely hypothetical
  • merely hypothetical
  • entirely hypothetical
Synonyms
  • theoretical

    Broader than hypothetical; describes ideas that belong to a system of thought, not necessarily assumed just for argument.

  • conjectural

    More formal and literary; emphasizes guesswork based on incomplete evidence.

  • supposed

    Less formal; often implies doubt or disbelief about whether something is true.

  • assumed

    Focuses on taking something as a starting point, with less emphasis on imagination.

Antonyms
  • actual

    Refers to what really exists, not what is imagined or assumed.

  • proven

    Confirmed by evidence, not merely assumed for discussion.

Grammar Patterns

hypothetical + noun (case/situation/scenario/example)

be + hypothetical

Usage Note

Common in academic, legal, and professional writing. The opposite of a hypothetical idea or situation is a real, actual, or proven one.

Common Mistakes

The results of the experiment were hypothetical and were later confirmed.
The results of the experiment were first treated as hypothetical and later confirmed.
If something has been confirmed, it is no longer hypothetical.

Word family

  • hypothesis
    nounB2
  • hypothetically
    adverbC1
  • hypothesize
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe ideas that are not proven, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Hypothetical' is the most neutral term — it describes something assumed for the purpose of reasoning, without implying doubt or certainty. 'Theoretical' is broader and more systematic: a theoretical claim belongs to a body of scientific or philosophical ideas, and may or may not be testable. 'Conjectural' is a more formal, literary word that emphasises guesswork from incomplete evidence. 'Speculative' carries a slightly dismissive tone, suggesting that the idea goes beyond available facts into the realm of imagination. 'Supposed' is the least formal and often signals disbelief. For example, a 'hypothetical question' is a routine classroom tool, while a 'conjectural claim' is fragile, and a 'speculative investment' is risky.

theoretical ↗conjecturalspeculativesupposed ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'hypothetical' entered English in the early 1600s through Latin 'hypotheticus', which came from the Greek 'hypothetikos'. The root is 'hypothesis' — a combination of 'hypo-' ('under') and 'thesis' ('a placing, a proposition'). In ancient Greek, a hypothesis was literally 'a foundation' or 'something placed under an argument to support it.' English first used 'hypothetical' in logic and philosophy to describe propositions assumed as premises, and over time the meaning widened to any imagined or assumed scenario.