thought experiment
/θɔːt ɪkˈsperɪmənt/
CommonA hypothetical scenario you work through mentally to test an idea or reach a conclusion.
Online it often signals either genuine curiosity or a setup for something absurd or provocative. Tone depends heavily on context.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | hear me out, thought experiment: what if we just didn't do mondays | Proposing an absurd hypothetical in a casual, humorous way. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | ok thought experiment: if your personality was a loading screen what percentage would you be | Using the phrase to kick off a playful self-reflection prompt. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 03 | this is technically a thought experiment but i genuinely need to know: would you eat a grape sized sun | Framing a nonsensical question as philosophical to make it seem more considered. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | not a thought experiment actually, i really am considering quitting everything and moving to portugal | Clarifying that what sounds hypothetical is an actual life plan. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Someone is about to pose a 'what if' scenario to make an argument.
- Someone wants to explore an idea without committing to a real position.
- Someone is setting up an absurd hypothetical for humor.
Do not use it when
- You mean someone is just guessing or speculating casually.Use “shower thought” instead.
- You mean a rhetorical question.
Thought experiment vs trolley problem
thought experiment
Thought experiment is any hypothetical used to test an idea.
VS
trolley-problem
Trolley problem is specifically a moral dilemma where both options cost something.
Origin and context
A term from philosophy and science used for centuries to describe mental simulations. Adopted online as casual setup language for hypotheticals, often ironic.
- First seen
- 1800s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/thought-experimentUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0