Synonyms for hypothesis
haɪˈpɒθ ə sɪs, hɪ-; -ˌsizhy·poth·e·sis

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. hypothesisnoun

   Synonyms:
   guess, supposition, thesis, theory, educated guess

2. hypothesisnoun

   Used loosely, a tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation and/or experimentation. As a scientific term of art, see the attached quotation. Compare to theory, and quotation given there.

   Synonyms:
   theory, thesis, supposition, guess, educated guess

3. hypothesisnoun

   An assumption taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation.

   Synonyms:
   supposition, theory, thesis, guess, educated guess

4. hypothesisnoun

   The antecedent of a conditional statement.

   Synonyms:
   educated guess, guess, thesis, supposition, theory

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. hypothesis

   A hypothesis is a statement of what is deemed possibly true, assumed and reasoned upon as if certainly true, with a view of reaching truth not yet surely known; especially, in the sciences, a hypothesis is a comprehensive tentative explanation of certain phenomena, which is meant to include all other facts of the same class, and which is assumed as true till there has been opportunity to bring all related facts into comparison; if the hypothesis explains all the facts, it is regarded as verified; till then it is regarded as a working hypothesis, that is, one that may answer for present practical purposes. A hypothesis may be termed a comprehensive guess. A guess is a swift conclusion from data directly at hand, and held as probable or tentative, while one confessedly lacks material for absolute certainty. A conjecture is more methodical than a guess, while a supposition is still slower and more settled; a conjecture, like a guess, is preliminary and tentative; a supposition is more nearly final; a surmise is more floating and visionary, and often sinister; as, a surmise that a stranger may be a pickpocket. Theory is used of the mental coordination of facts and principles, that may or may not prove correct; a machine may be perfect in theory, but useless in fact. Scheme may be used as nearly equivalent to theory, but is more frequently applied to proposed action, and in the sense of a somewhat visionary plan. A speculation may be wholly of the brain, resting upon no facts worthy of consideration; system is the highest of these terms, having most of assurance and fixity; a system unites many facts, phenomena, or doctrines into an orderly and consistent whole; we speak of a system of theology, of the Copernican system of the universe. Compare SYSTEM.

   Synonyms:
   conjecture, guess, scheme, speculation, supposition, surmise, system, theory

   Antonyms:
   certainty, demonstration, discovery, evidence, fact, proof

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. hypothesisnoun

   a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

   Synonyms:
   theory, surmisal, possibility, guess, conjecture, supposition, surmise, speculation

2. hypothesis, possibility, theorynoun

   a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena

   "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices"

   Synonyms:
   theory, possibleness, surmisal, possibility, opening, guess, conjecture, possible action, supposition, surmise, speculation

3. guess, conjecture, supposition, surmise, surmisal, speculation, hypothesisnoun

   a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence

   Synonyms:
   guess, possibility, conjecture, surmise, guesswork, theory, meditation, venture, supposition, dead reckoning, guessing, surmisal, supposal, assumption, speculation, shot

Matched Categories

1. • Opinion
   • Proposal

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. hypothesisnoun

   Synonyms:
   supposition, theory

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "hypothesis":

   assumption, premise, assumptions, assumed, scenario, supposition, conjecture, hypothetical

Suggested Resources

1. Hypothesis

   Hypothesis vs. Prediction -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Hypothesis and Prediction.

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How to use hypothesis in a sentence?

1. Ken Campbell:

   The general hypothesis is that - first of all, these monkeys were very small, they’re about the size of a small squirrel with a long tail. So they’re very small and as a consequence their food and water requirements would be much less than if they were very large. So the general hypothesis is that there were monkeys on a river bank. During flood season, trees get swept into the river and carried out to the ocean. As vegetation rafts, [the trees are] carried across on the Atlantic based on wind and current directions. This remains a hypothesis- there’s no proof yet, although the similarities between the monkeys suggests that it did happen.

2. Konrad Lorenz:

   It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.

3. Jerome Seymour Bruner:

   The shrewd guess, the fertile hypothesis, the courageous leap to a tentative conclusion-these are the most valuable coins of the thinker at work. But in most schools guessing is heavily penalized and is associated somehow with laziness.

4. Peter Ben Embarek:

   However, the findings suggest that the laboratory incidents hypothesis is extremely unlikely to explain the introduction of the virus to the human population, therefore it is not a hypothesis that weadvise to suggest future studies ... into the understanding of the origin of the virus.

5. Michel Sapin:

   I can clearly say that for 2014 France will respect the conditions that allow us to be in line with the application of the rules. The advantage of March is that we won't be working with hypothesis but with real data.