Synonyms for hypothesis
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Theory — an assumption taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation
theory informal, conjecture formal, supposition, assumption, speculation, surmise, guess, postulate, postulation, presumption, thesis, inference, possibility, theorem, educated guess, surmisal
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
An assumption taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation.
Forms
- Plural
- hypotheses → theories, conjectures, suppositions, assumptions…
Choose the right word
A hypothesis may be termed a comprehensive guess.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- assumption I proceed on the assumption that anger is idolatry.
- speculation He sometimes indulges himself in idle speculation.
- surmise "What do you think of my theory?" "It is all surmise."
- supposition This supposition is essentially correct.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| hypothesis | steady | |
| assumption | steady | |
| speculation | steady | |
| surmise | steady | |
| supposition | falling | |
| protasis | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- guess1
- 6 letters
- theory2, thesis2
- 7 letters
- theorem2, surmise2
- 8 letters
- protasis, surmisal
- 9 letters
- inference3, postulate3
- 10 letters
- assumption3, conjecture3
- 11 letters
- possibility5, speculation4, presumption3, supposition4, postulation
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (theory2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- hypothèse
- Italiano
- ipotesi
- Español
- hipótesis
- Deutsch
- Voraussetzung
- Català
- hipòtesi