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hypothetical vs theory

theory vs hypothetical

hypothetical and theory both are nouns.

hypothetical is an adjective but theory is not an adjective.

Word NounAdjectiveVerbAdverb
hypothetical Yes Yes No No
theory Yes No No No
As nouns, theory is a hypernym of hypothetical; that is, theory is a word with a broader meaning than hypothetical:
  • hypothetical: a hypothetical possibility, circumstance, statement, proposal, situation, etc.
  • theory: a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena
Other hypernyms of hypothetical include hypothesis, possibility.
hypothetical (noun) theory (noun)
a hypothetical possibility, circumstance, statement, proposal, situation, etc. a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
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 belief that can guide behavior
hypothetical (adjective) theory (adjective)
based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence
Difference between hypothetical and theory

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