Meanings
- not comparableIn theory; on paper.
I haven't tested it, but theoretically it ought to fly.
1 more example
Of course, it will never get -100 here like it does in Antarctica, but a 300-degree swing was still theoretically possible on a record-cold Minnesota morning–if we got the sauna hot enough.
2019 February 8, Saunatimes Guest Posts, quoting Tyler, “Father and sons take a 280 degree f. sauna, documenting the only “300 Club” in North America”, in SaunaTimes - not comparableIn theory though not necessarily in reality.
No, but insurance does cover it. Theoretically.
2023 November 1, Honest Dentist Appointment1 more example
Rumors of an indictment had spread through this heavily gay and lesbian community since shortly after the theoretically secret investigation began in 1984.
1985 December 14, Gordon Gottlieb, “L.A. Community Divided over Terrigno Indictment”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 22, page 10
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbin theory; according to the assumed facts
adverbin a theoretical manner
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Englishtheoretical
- Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
- Proto-Germanic*līką
- Englishtheoretically
From theoretical + -ly.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque teorian
- teorianin theory
Bulgarian теоретично
- теоретично (teoretično)in theory
Catalan teòricament, en teoria
- teòricamentin theory
- en teoriain theory
Chinese Mandarin 理論上 /理论上
- 理論上 /理论上 (lǐlùn shàng)in theory
Czech teoreticky
- teoretickyin theory
Dutch theoretisch
- theoretischin theory
Esperanto teorie
- teoriein theory
Finnish teoreettisesti
- teoreettisestiin theory
French théoriquement, en théorie
- théoriquementin theory
- en théoriein theory
German theoretisch, prinzipiell
- theoretischin theory
- prinzipiellin theory
- rein gedanklichin theory
- vom Gedanken herin theory
Greek θεωρητικά
- θεωρητικά (theoritiká)in theory
Hungarian elméletileg, elvileg
- elméletilegin theory
- elvilegin theory
- teoretikusanin theory
Italian teoricamente, in linea teorica
- teoricamentein theory
- in linea teoricain theory
Japanese 理論上
- 理論上 (rironjō)in theory
Norwegian Bokmål teoretisk
- teoretiskin theory
Polish teoretycznie
- teoretyczniein theory
Portuguese teoricamente
- teoricamentein theory
Romanian teoretic, teoreticește
- teoreticin theory
- teoreticeștein theory
Russian теорети́чески
- теорети́чески (teoretíčeski)in theory
Slovak teoreticky
- teoretickyin theory
Spanish teóricamente, en teoría
- teóricamentein theory
- en teoríain theory
Swedish teoretiskt
- teoretisktin theory
Ukrainian теоретично
- теоретично (teoretyčno)in theory
Vietnamese về lý thuyết
- về lý thuyếtin theory
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
theoretically. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theoretically
“theoretically.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theoretically. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “theoretically,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theoretically.
Source: theoretically on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.