counterfactual
adjective/ˌkaʊntəˈfæktʃuəl/
/ˌkaʊntərˈfæktʃuəl/
(formal)- connected with what did not happen or what is not the case
- counterfactual questions such as ‘What if the President had not been assassinated?’
- an interesting exercise in counterfactual history
- a counterfactual approach to historical events using ‘What if?’ questions
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counterfactual