Sample Sentences for
hypothesis
grouped by contextual meaning
(editor-reviewed)

hypothesis as in:  a study to test her hypothesis

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The study will test the hypothesis that a good marriage is more important than a higher income when measuring happiness.
hypothesis = a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea
Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
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    He hypothesized the existence of Pluto before its discovery.
    hypothesized = proposed a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea
    standard suffix: The suffix "-ize" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize.
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    Rosellini appeared to accept the failure of his hypothesis with equanimity.  (source)
    hypothesis = unproven idea
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    Theories Lagos tried to apply to his virus hypothesis.  (source)
    hypothesis = theory
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Show 10 more with 9 word variations
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    If she hadn't witnessed a phenomenon with her own eyes, then as far as she was concerned it was a hypothesis.  (source)
    hypothesis = a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea or explanation
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    We've made some hypotheses, some suppositions, but nobody really knows what the nests were like.  (source)
    hypotheses = ideas that are seemingly reasonable, but unproven
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    But that was hypothetical.  (source)
    hypothetical = based on a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, explanation of known facts
    standard suffix: Nouns like hypothesis become adjectives by first changing "-sis" to "-tic," forming hypothetic. Then, the more common adjectival ending "-al" is added, giving us hypothetical. This pattern also applies to words like parenthetical and analytical.
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    "Oh, that's right," said Joe, "we were speaking hypothetically, weren't we?"  (source)
    hypothetically = based on an imagined situation (not a real situation)
    standard suffix: Nouns like hypothesis become adjectives by first changing "-sis" to "-tic," forming hypothetic. Then, the more common adjectival ending "-al" is added, giving us hypothetical. Finally the suffix, "-ly" converts the adjective to an adverb. This pattern also applies to words like parenthetically and analytically.
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    Local police ignored the obvious evidence that the death-was a hate crime and hypothesized that Donald must have been involved in drug dealing, which his mother adamantly denied.  (source)
    hypothesized = proposed a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea
    standard suffix: The suffix "-ize" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize.
  • •
    There was something rather bold in Miss Tulliver's direct gaze, and something undefinably coarse in the style of her beauty, which placed her, in the opinion of all feminine judges, far below her cousin Miss Deane; for the ladies of St. Ogg's had now completely ceded to Lucy their hypothetic claims on the admiration of Mr. Stephen Guest.  (source)
    hypothetic = possibly real, but not known for sure to be real
    standard suffix: Nouns like hypothesis become adjectives by changing "-sis" to "-tic," forming hypothetic. This pattern also applies to words like parenthetic and analytic.
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    And so I asked lots of data-seeking questions, and found myself hypothesizing along with my doctors.  (source)
    hypothesizing = proposing reasonable, but unproven, ideas
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    So do their counterparts, so we can hypothesize that those are weapons or countermeasures against him.  (source)
    hypothesize = propose a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea based upon known facts
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    This theory hypothesizes that Ross and Christine Hargensen (see pp. 1-18) were at the center of a loose conspiracy to get Carrie White to the Spring Ball, and, once there, complete her humiliation.  (source)
    hypothesizes = proposes a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea
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    But there was a more direct way to prove the hypothesis: Red Coast itself could transmit radio waves directly at the sun at a power level exceeding the threshold value.  (source)
    hypothesis = a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea or explanation
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hypothesis as in:  assume as a working hypothesis

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For the purpose of discussion, let's accept that the hypothesis that she is guilty as true. What would we have expected her to do after the incident?
hypothesis = something that may or may not be true, but is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
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    Instead of talking about her specific situation, I asked her to consider a hypothetical situation with similar circumstances. It helped her to keep emotions under control as she thought about everyone's point-of-view.
    hypothetical = of something that may or may not be true, but is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
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    Hypothetically speaking, if the company did downsize and you lost your job, what would you do?
    hypothetically = based on something that is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
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    Hypothetically speaking, if the stock market is efficient, we would expect indexed mutual funds to perform as well as managed mutual funds, but with less overhead.
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Show 10 more with 4 word variations
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    "Of course," he muttered, "this is all hypothetical, what we're discussing, isn't it?"  (source)
    hypothetical = of something temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion
    standard suffix: Nouns like hypothesis become adjectives by first changing "-sis" to "-tic," forming hypothetic. Then, the more common adjectival ending "-al" is added, giving us hypothetical. This pattern also applies to words like parenthetical and analytical.
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    "All the park fences carry ten thousand volts. The animals quickly learn not to go near them." "But if one did get out?" Gennaro said. Arnold snorted, and stubbed out his cigarette. "Just hypothetically," Gennaro said. "Supposing it happened?"  (source)
    hypothetically = based on something that is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
    standard suffix: Nouns like hypothesis become adjectives by first changing "-sis" to "-tic," forming hypothetic. Then, the more common adjectival ending "-al" is added, giving us hypothetical. Finally the suffix, "-ly" converts the adjective to an adverb. This pattern also applies to words like parenthetically and analytically.
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    Now she had a working hypothesis.  (source)
    hypothesis = something that may or may not be true, but is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
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    "I don't trouble myself with hypotheticals," answered Lieutenant Issaaia.  (source)
    hypotheticals = things that are temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
    standard suffix: Nouns like hypothesis become adjectives by first changing "-sis" to "-tic," forming hypothetic. Then, the more common adjectival ending "-al" is added, giving us hypothetical. When the suffix "-s" is added, it becomes a plural noun.
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    "This is a purely hypothetical question," I said.  (source)
    hypothetical = imagined (not a real situation)
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    I'd been speaking hypothetically about moving to New York a year early.  (source)
    hypothetically = based on something that is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
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    Let's take it as a working hypothesis that Bjurman raped her and she somehow took her revenge.  (source)
    hypothesis = something that may or may not be true, but is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
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    As you say, all I have is a bunch of hypotheticals.†  (source)
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    Options for My Hypothetical Future Recovery Scenario (Abridged):  (source)
    Hypothetical = of something temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation
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    We should call and be, like, hypothetically, if we knew where Pickett was the night he disappeared, how much would that be worth?  (source)
    hypothetically = temporarily treating something as true to advance a discussion
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