theory
[noun]
Synonyms: supposition, assumption, conjecture, hypothesis, presumption, speculation, surmise, thesis

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Antonyms: practice
Contrasted words: assurance, certainty, knowledge
Related Words: base, basis, grounds, position, premise, understanding, guess, guesswork, surmise, feeling, hunch, impression, presentiment, suspicion

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

theo‧ry S2 W1 AC /ˈθɪəri $ ˈθiːəri/ noun (plural theories)
[Word Family: noun: theorist, theory, theorem, theoretician; verb: theorize; adverb: theoretically; adjective: theoretical]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Late Latin; Origin: theoria, from Greek, from theorein 'to look at']

1. [countable] an idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain something about life or the world, especially an idea that has not yet been proved to be true ⇒ theoretical
theory about/on
different theories about how the brain works
theory of
Darwin’s theory of evolution
theory that
the theory that light is made up of waves

2. [uncountable] general principles and ideas about a subject:
Freudian theory has had a great influence on psychology.
political/economic/literary etc theory
I’m taking a course on political theory.

3. in theory something that is true in theory is supposed to be true, but might not really be true or might not be what will really happen Antonym : in practice:
In theory, everyone will have to pay the new tax.

4. [countable] an idea or opinion that someone thinks is true but for which they have no proof
theory that
Detectives are working on a theory that he knew his murderer.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

theory
noun
ADJ. complete | partial | general Einstein's general theory of relativity
coherent | unified the existence of a grand unified theory that determines everything in the universe
current, new | classical the classical theory of gravity
pet One of her pet theories is that people who restrict their calorie intake live longer.
conflicting | critical | abstract His comments are just abstract theory and show little understanding of the realities of the situation.
economic, legal, linguistic, literary, political, scientific, social, etc. | post-modernist, structuralist, etc. Current feminist theory consists of several different trends.
conspiracy a conspiracy theory about the princess's death
chaos, game, quantum, number, particle, probability, relativity, etc.
QUANT. set Each school has its own set of theories.
VERB + THEORY have, hold | advance, develop, formulate, produce, propose | work on Police are working on the theory that the murderer was known to the family.
refute | confirm, prove | disprove | challenge, test
THEORY + VERB evolve | hold sth, suggest sth
PREP. in ~ In theory, these machines should last for ten years.
~ about He has a theory about why dogs walk round in circles before going to sleep.
PHRASES theory and practice the distinction/relationship between theory and practice

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

theory

come up with/develop a theory
These birds helped Darwin develop his theory of natural selection.
test a theory
Researchers gave workers a questionnaire to test that theory.
prove a theory
No evidence emerged to prove either theory.
support a theory
Modern research strongly supports this theory.
disprove a theory (also refute a theory formal) (=show that it is wrong)
Later experiments seemed to disprove the theory.
discredit a theory (=make people stop believing in it)
These latest findings discredit his entire theory.
a scientific theory
Scientific theories can be tested experimentally.
an economic theory
His economic theory assumes that both labour and capital are perfectly mobile.
a conspiracy theory (=a theory that an event was the result of secret plan made by two or more people)
A variety of conspiracy theories question the official account of President Kennedy’s assassination.
a pet theory (=a personal theory that you strongly believe)
Each of them had his pet theory on what had caused the uprising.
the theory of evolution/relativity etc
According to the theory of relativity, nothing can travel faster than light.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲