as in theory
an idea that is the starting point for making a case or conducting an investigation
working on the hypothesis that teenagers function better in the late morning, some high schools are starting classes later
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Recent Examples of hypothesis
Those findings, published in 2020, contradicted the earlier hypothesis and raised doubts as to whether the species should be considered a hominin at all.
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Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 2 Jan. 2026
The last hypothesis was not far from the mark, according to researchers who have revealed a scientific explanation.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
The hosts embark on a monomaniacal investigation, armed with an impressive amount of evidence to support their hypothesis that there’s a greater purpose to Adams’s penchant for the bathtub.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The other hypothesis rests on some vaccines’ ability to offer broader health benefits — benefits that come not from targeting the virus, but from triggering the immune system to be on the hunt for bad actors.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypothesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypothesis
Noun
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Those are, indeed, pat, credible theories and predictions.—
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But now, in the planet’s capital city of Apperax, a murder is committed with no suspects, forensics or theories.—
Noun
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His eyes lit up, as if asked to present a thesis sitting in his top drawer.—
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The Skydance thesis, according to a person who worked closely with David, was that Hollywood wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming economic force of a Silicon Valley billionaire throwing around his wealth and ambition.—
Noun
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So the complete value proposition of society is different on the island.—
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For families Atlantis’s central proposition is family fun, and a stay at The Cove will position a family to make the most of it.—
Cite this Entry
“Hypothesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypothesis. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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