THEORIES Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

theories

noun

plural of theory

as in hypotheses

an idea that is the starting point for making a case or conducting an investigation set out to prove her theory that people can't really taste any difference between colas, so they buy according to the product's image

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of theories Without a direct and blanket statement in the tradition providing a rationale, European and Indian scholars have proposed a variety of theories to explain Hindu divine morphology. — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 Astrophysicists have several theories for what dark matter could be. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Two competing theories are frequently offered to explain why women are dramatically underrepresented in the highest leadership positions, from Congress to Fortune 500 companies. — Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2026 Upon arrival, Gideon slowly grows more suspicious of the theories as to why their 30-year friendship screeched to such an abrupt halt, but also of the reports of Gillian’s fatal accident. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 Sanft didn’t connect the dots, but other tips and theories about different alleged shooters have floated around for decades. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026 Some voiced viral theories, like a common social media story stating that a Texas farmer’s calves were stillborn after the development of a nearby data center. — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026 In his Slow Boring newsletter, Matthew Yglesias shared his own theories on why people aren’t happier about technological progress. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 These theories spreading online, one expert says, stem from people’s struggles to find a fulfilling explanation for what has happened. — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for theories

Noun

Until then, readers should take these issues as interesting hypotheses and case discussions.

— Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
The models have to suss them out by taking actions in the game, seeing what happens, forming hypotheses, and then taking more actions to test those theories.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of hypotheses

Noun

Sustained gunfire began past midnight at the premises of the Diori Hamani International Airport, which hosts a major military base, according to an AP witness who requested anonymity for safety reasons.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
The premises is also set to exhibit thousands of objects sourced from the Powerhouse Collection, a massive national archive of artifacts.

— News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of premises

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“Theories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theories. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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noun

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