What does hypothesizing mean?
Hypothesizing means putting forward a possible explanation, relationship, or prediction and treating it as something that can be examined. It is the activity of developing and considering hypotheses, ideas that offer a tentative answer to a question. In science, a hypothesis may be supported or rejected through observation, experiment, or further reasoning. The word can also be used more generally when people discuss possible reasons for an event, although the best hypotheses are usually clear, specific, and capable of being tested. Hypothesizing is therefore closely associated with investigation and inquiry rather than assertion: it describes thinking about what might be true without claiming certainty. The related noun is hypothesis, while the adjective hypothetical describes something assumed for discussion or reasoning rather than established as fact.
verbTo form or propose a hypothesis; to put forward an idea as a possible explanation or prediction that can be tested.
- To propose or entertain a hypothesis, especially as a possible explanation or prediction that can be investigated.
"The researchers spent the afternoon hypothesizing about what might have caused the change."
"Before conducting the experiment, the students hypothesized that the warmer water would dissolve the salt more quickly."
"Several explanations are possible, but the team avoided hypothesizing without sufficient evidence."
Hypothesizing is the first step of science: turn a hunch into an idea that evidence can test.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hypothesizing come from?
The word comes from Greek hypothesis, formed from hypo-, meaning “under,” and thesis, meaning “placing” or “setting down.” In Greek, the term referred to a fundamental proposition or principle on which reasoning rests. Latin adopted the word, and English later developed the modern scientific sense of a proposed explanation or prediction. The same roots also underlie hypothetical and hypothetically.
Related word forms
How hypothesizing is actually used
The form is commonly used when describing the activity of developing possible explanations. It is neutral in tone and appears in academic, scientific, and general contexts. In careful academic writing, a hypothesis is usually expected to be testable rather than merely a guess.