In economics class, the professor asked students to consider a hypothetical market where all goods were free, to explore the effects of scarcity.
在经济学课上，教授让学生考虑一个所有商品都免费的假设市场，以探讨稀缺性的影响。
The economist's argument unfolds through a series of simplified hypothetical markets, each one adding a single new complication—transportation costs, then information asymmetry, then regulation—to isolate how each factor individually affects the market's overall efficiency.
From a Text Structure and Purpose question · Craft and Structure
The sociologist's argument unfolds through a series of simplified hypothetical neighborhoods, each one adding a single new variable—housing density, then public transit access, then school quality—to isolate how each factor individually affects residents' reported sense of community.
From a Text Structure and Purpose question · Craft and Structure
The economist's argument unfolds through a series of simplified hypothetical firms, each one adding a single new variable—labor cost, then automation level, then regulatory compliance cost—to isolate how each factor individually affects a firm's hiring decisions.
From a Text Structure and Purpose question · Craft and Structure
Which choice best defines “hypothetical”?
D — Supposed, not real. “hypothetical” means supposed, not real.
Which word means “supposed, not real”?
C — hypothetical. “hypothetical” means supposed, not real.
hypothetical — supposed, not real. In Chinese: 假设的，假定的.
hypothetical is pronounced /ˌhaɪpəˈθetɪkl/.
In economics class, the professor asked students to consider a hypothetical market where all goods were free, to explore the effects of scarcity. (在经济学课上，教授让学生考虑一个所有商品都免费的假设市场，以探讨稀缺性的影响。)
supposed, theoretical, conjectural — all close in meaning to hypothetical (supposed, not real).
actual, real — each the opposite of hypothetical (supposed, not real).
Yes. hypothetical is on the SAT Prep Easy list — mid-frequency academic words that do get tested. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.
hypothesis(assumption)+ical(form).