Basic Details
Word: Hypothetical
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Related to an idea or situation that is based on something that is imagined or supposed, rather than something real.
Synonyms: Theoretical, imaginary, speculative
Antonyms: Actual, real, factual
Idioms and Phrases
- Hypothetical situation: An imagined scenario to explore an outcome. Example: "In a hypothetical situation where we won the lottery, what would we do with the money?"
- Put forward a hypothesis: To suggest an idea or theory as a starting point for further investigation. Example: "The scientist put forward a hypothesis about climate change and its effects."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The teacher asked the class to think about a hypothetical scenario where they could travel through time.
Example 2: In his essay, he discussed hypothetical outcomes of different political decisions.
Example 3: The debate focused on a hypothetical question about how society would change if everyone had a universal basic income.
Fun Fact
The word "hypothetical" comes from the Greek word "hypothetikos," which means "based on a hypothesis," a theory that is an educated guess based on current knowledge.
Famous Quote
"All that we know is but a hypothesis." - Euripides
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "hypothetical" mean?
a) Based on real events
b) Based on imagination or theory
c) A matter of fact
d) Completely random
Answer: b) Based on imagination or theory
2. Which of these is a synonym of "hypothetical"?
a) Actual
b) Speculative
c) Certain
d) Concrete
Answer: b) Speculative
3. What is an antonym of "hypothetical"?
a) Theoretical
b) Imaginary
c) Factual
d) Speculative
Answer: c) Factual
4. Which sentence uses "hypothetical" correctly?
a) The hypothetical apple jumped into the basket.
b) She prepared for a hypothetical question in her interview.
c) He enjoys buying hypothetical snacks from the shop.
d) They took a hypothetical trip to the moon in real life.
Answer: b) She prepared for a hypothetical question in her interview.
5. What does it mean to "put forward a hypothesis"?
a) To argue against a theory
b) To suggest an idea for consideration
c) To ignore a question
d) To confirm a fact
Answer: b) To suggest an idea for consideration
