hypothesize

verb

hy·​poth·​e·​size hī-ˈpä-thə-ˌsīz How to pronounce hypothesize (audio)
hypothesized; hypothesizing
Synonyms of hypothesizenext

intransitive verb

: to make a hypothesis

transitive verb

: to adopt as a hypothesis

Synonyms of hypothesize

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Examples of hypothesize in a Sentence

Psychologists hypothesized that his odd behavior was caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. if we hypothesize that current population trends continue for the next 50 years
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But doctors have hypothesized a series of events that leads to the disintegration. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 Lora hoped aloud that the little girl was still alive, hypothesizing that her deceased brother helped push her to safety. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Before the games kicked off, my colleague Christopher Bonanos hypothesized that if all went swimmingly, this World Cup traffic experiment could be a test for future action. — John Surico, Curbed, 24 July 2026 The study hypothesizes that the supergiant reversion may trigger a cool-down period. — Jay Kakade july 23, Refractor, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hypothesize

Word History

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypothesize was in 1738

Rhymes for hypothesize

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Hypothesize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothesize. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hypothesize

verb
hy·​poth·​e·​size hī-ˈpäth-ə-ˌsīz How to pronounce hypothesize (audio)
hypothesized; hypothesizing
1
: to make a hypothesis
2
: to adopt as a hypothesis
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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