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Realistic vs Hypothetical - What's the difference?

realistic | hypothetical |

As adjectives the difference between realistic and hypothetical

is that realistic is expressed or represented as being accurate while hypothetical is based upon a hypothesis; conjectural.

As a noun hypothetical is

a hypothetical situation or proposition.

realistic

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Expressed or represented as being accurate.
    • A ''realistic'' appraisal of the situation.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Tom Fordyce , title=Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Scotland needed a victory by eight points to have a realistic chance of progressing to the knock-out stages, and for long periods of a ferocious contest looked as if they might pull it off.}}
  • Relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were.
    • A ''realistic'' novel about the Victorian poor.

    Antonyms

    * unrealistic * utopian

    Derived terms

    * realisticity * realisticness

    Related terms

    * real * realism * realist * reality * realize

    Anagrams

    *

    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