hypothetical

UK: /ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪk^əl/

US: /ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkəl/

US: (hī′pə thet′i kəl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

hy•po•thet•i•cal /ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkəl/   adj. Also, ˌhy•poˈthet•ic. 

1. assumed to exist by hypothesis;
   supposed:
   a hypothetical situation.
2. of, relating to, involving, or characterized by hypothesis:
   hypothetical reasoning.

hy•po•thet•i•cal•ly, adv. See -thes-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hy•po•thet•i•cal  (hī′pə thet′i kəl), adj. 

1. assumed by hypothesis;
   supposed:
   a hypothetical case.
2. of, pertaining to, involving, or characterized by hypothesis:
   hypothetical reasoning.
3. given to making hypotheses.
4. Philosophy [Logic.]
   • (of a proposition) highly conjectural;
     not well supported by available evidence.
   • (of a proposition or syllogism) conditional.

n. 

5. a hypothetical situation, instance, etc.:
   The Secretary of Defense refused to discuss hypotheticals with the reporters.

Also, hy′po•thet′ic (defs. 1–4).

• Greek hypothetik(ós) supposed (hypo- hypo- + the- put (base of tithénai to put, do¹) + -tikos -tic) + -al¹
• 1580–90

hy′po•thet′i•cal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. suppositional, theoretical, speculative.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hypothetical / ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪk^əl/, hypothetic adjective

1. having the nature of a hypothesis
2. assumed or thought to exist
3. another word for conditional4

ˌhypoˈthetically adverb