Word
hypothetically
Phoneticshy·po·thet·i·cal·ly
US/ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkɫi/
UK/hˌaɪpəθˈɛtɪkli/
Definition
adv. used to talk about a situation that is not real or has not happened yet. You use it to imagine what might happen if something were true.
adv. in a manner that assumes a condition to be true, even if it is not necessarily the case. Often used to introduce a theoretical scenario or a conditional statement.
Examples
“Hypothetically, what would you do if you won the lottery?”
“If we hypothetically ignore the budget cuts, the project could be finished by next summer.”
“The economist argued that even hypothetically, the market would stabilize if the central bank intervened immediately, though such a scenario remains highly unlikely.”
Examples
simple
“Hypothetically, what would you do if you won the lottery?”
contextual
“If we hypothetically ignore the budget cuts, the project could be finished by next summer.”
complex
“The economist argued that even hypothetically, the market would stabilize if the central bank intervened immediately, though such a scenario remains highly unlikely.”
Real-World Examples
“But hypothetically, this knowledge of harbor porpoise mating behavior and anatomy could be helpful to saving the vaquita one day.” “And you can hypothetically pedal it, though I couldn’t find a way to do so without the electric assist.” Etymology
From hypothetical + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/hypothetically