Actual
Actual adjective - Existing in fact and not merely as a possibility.
Usage example: the actual outcome of the election was quite different from what everybody had expected
Hypothetical
Hypothetical adjective - Existing only as an assumption or speculation.
Usage example: we talked about what we would do in various hypothetical emergencies
Nearby Words: hypothesis, hypothetic
Both words in one sentence
- Alternate History: Used often to compare or contrast actual and hypothetical situations.
Source: Blog / El Chigüire Bipolar -
For example, they engage in a philosophical debate about hypothetical murderer babies instead of stopping a drugged co-worker from kidnapping an actual baby.
Source: Series / Better Off Ted -
Of course in the actual episode, it's a hypothetical discussion about if Ariane were to go back down to NXT and train.
Source: Series / Total Divas
Cite this Source
Hypothetical and Actual. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/actual/hypothetical
Actual & Hypothetical. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/actual/hypothetical>.
Hypothetical or Actual. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/actual/hypothetical.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "actual" and "hypothetical" have occurred on timeline