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Fictitious vs Hypothetical - What's the difference?

fictitious | hypothetical |

As adjectives the difference between fictitious and hypothetical

is that fictitious is not real; invented; contrived while hypothetical is based upon a hypothesis; conjectural.

As a noun hypothetical is

a hypothetical situation or proposition.

fictitious

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Not real; invented; contrived.
    • St. Mary Mead is a fictitious village from the books of Agatha Christie.

    Synonyms

    * imaginary, invented, contrived, fictive

    hypothetical

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Based upon a hypothesis; conjectural
  • *
  • (philosophy) conditional; contingent upon some hypothesis/antecedent

    • Synonyms

    * conjectural * (contingent upon some hypothesis) conditional

    Antonyms

    * (actual) actual * (in philosophy) categorical

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hypothetical situation or proposition
    • These hypotheticals serve no purpose until we have more information.

    Related terms

    * hypothesis * hypothesize