Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
negative hypothesis
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "negative hypothesis" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in scientific or research contexts to refer to a hypothesis that proposes a lack of effect or relationship between variables. Example: "In our study, we formulated a negative hypothesis to test whether there was no significant difference in outcomes between the two groups."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Alternative expressions(2)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
8 human-written examples
His entire adult life was haunted by the extermination of Europe's Jews; in his films about Israel, he never offers a satisfactory answer to the question of who is a Jew, but in "Shoah" he comes closer, by way of Sartre's negative hypothesis.
News & Media
If it is negative, hypothesis 1 holds.
Science
The second hypothesis, which we call the negative hypothesis, asserts that faculty have been diverted from their traditional role in basic research toward research with more commercial potential.
Science
Our findings are clear in that they do not show any support for the negative hypothesis and they show substantially greater support for the positive hypothesis than for the status quo hypothesis.
Science
Arming yourself with positive facts makes it harder for your mind to run with a negative hypothesis.
News & Media
For the second negative hypothesis, the study may not have been specifically powered.
Science
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
52 human-written examples
That threw a whole bunch of negative hypotheses out the window.
News & Media
However, the perceived person occupation fit did not have an apparent effect on the development of the apprentice trainer relationship, while the effect on the work group integration was negative, as the path coefficient was positive and the slope negative (Hypotheses 2.2as and 2.2bs not confirmed).
We found support only for negative hypotheses V I S O V A : ∼ N S∣ E t h n i c i t y:(L A2 K c o n t r o l) relating NS to Hispanic ethnicity.
Science
Consistent with the dominant-negative hypothesis [ 15, 31, 32], we did not observe consistent loss of the wild-type allele in tumors from carriers of missense variants.
Science
The dominant-negative hypothesis for WT p53 inactivation in cells carrying a mutation in one of the alleles of the TP53 gene proposes that the presence of even a single mutant protein in the formation of the p53 tetramer would lead to loss-of-function of p53 [ 87, 88].
Science
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When using a "negative hypothesis", clearly state what you are trying to disprove, rather than simply what you expect to find. This improves clarity and avoids ambiguity in research.
Common error
Avoid assuming a "negative hypothesis" proves the complete absence of an effect. It only indicates a lack of evidence for a specific effect under the tested conditions.
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "negative hypothesis" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object in a sentence within scientific and research contexts. It describes a specific type of hypothesis. As seen in Ludwig, it's used to frame arguments and discuss research findings.
Frequent in
Science
75%
News & Media
20%
Encyclopedias
5%
Less common in
Formal & Business
0%
Wiki
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
The term "negative hypothesis" is a grammatically correct noun phrase primarily used in scientific and research contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's employed to describe a hypothesis that predicts the absence of a relationship or effect. While frequently used, it is important to be precise in its application, avoiding overgeneralizations about the complete absence of effects. Related phrases include "null hypothesis" and "opposite hypothesis", offering alternative ways to express similar concepts. When writing, clearly state what you are trying to disprove to avoid ambiguity. The primary contexts are science and news media.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
null hypothesis
Focuses specifically on disproving a statement, common in statistical testing.
opposite hypothesis
Implies the inverse of the original proposed idea.
alternative hypothesis
Suggests an alternative explanation if the primary hypothesis is rejected.
disproven theory
Indicates a theory that has been shown to be false.
rejected hypothesis
Formally denotes that the hypothesis failed testing.
invalidated assumption
The core assumption it's proven to be wrong.
refuted claim
Suggests someone has demonstrated it's wrong.
negated proposition
Focuses on the logical negation of a statement.
falsified belief
A previous belief which has been proven false.
unsupported conjecture
Highlights the lack of evidence for the hypothesis.
FAQs
What does the term "negative hypothesis" mean in research?
In research, a "negative hypothesis" proposes that there is no significant relationship or effect between specified variables. It's a statement that you aim to disprove through testing.
How is a "negative hypothesis" different from a null hypothesis?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but a "negative hypothesis" generally refers to any hypothesis predicting no effect, while a "null hypothesis" is a specific statistical hypothesis used for testing the probability of obtaining observed results if there is truly no effect.
What is an example of a "negative hypothesis"?
An example of a "negative hypothesis" could be: "There is no correlation between the amount of sleep a person gets and their performance on a cognitive test."
Can I use other terms instead of "negative hypothesis"?
Yes, you can use terms like "null hypothesis", "opposite hypothesis", or "alternative hypothesis" depending on the nuance you want to convey.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested