what-ifs
Speculative scenario questions
What-ifs are hypothetical scenarios, especially worries about things that might happen or might have happened differently: She lay awake running through the what-ifs.
The term captures the mental habit of imagining alternative outcomes—often anxiously.
What-ifs can also be speculative questions posed for discussion: Let's play some what-ifs about the election.
Things that may occur
- scenariosImagined sequences of events
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- theorizingForming unproven explanations
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
brainstorming · pondering · musings · daydreaming · contemplation · projections · guesswork · extrapolation
Faculty for forming ideas
- possibilitiesThings that may occur
- fantasyImaginative mental wandering
- inventionNew device or method
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
worldbuilding · fiction · make-believe · hypotheticals · brainstorming · ideation · dreaming · visioning
Possible future events
- scenariosImagined sequences of events
- forecastingEstimating future conditions
- preparationArranging things in advance
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
strategy · foresight · anticipation · precaution · safeguards · alternatives · options · hedging
Troubled mental state
- overthinkingDwelling excessively on thoughts
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- ruminationProlonged, repetitive thinking
- catastrophizingImagining worst-case outcomes
worst-case · spiraling · obsession · fear · apprehension · unease · nervousness · second-guessing
possibilities
Things that may occur
- scenariosImagined sequences of events
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- theorizingForming unproven explanations
imagination · brainstorming · pondering · musings · daydreaming · contemplation · projections · guesswork · extrapolation · inference
imagination
Faculty for forming ideas
- possibilitiesThings that may occur
- fantasyImaginative mental wandering
- inventionNew device or method
storytelling · worldbuilding · fiction · make-believe · hypotheticals · brainstorming · ideation · dreaming · visioning · exploration
contingencies
Possible future events
- scenariosImagined sequences of events
- forecastingEstimating future conditions
- preparationArranging things in advance
fallback · strategy · foresight · anticipation · precaution · safeguards · alternatives · options · hedging · mitigation
worry
Troubled mental state
- overthinkingDwelling excessively on thoughts
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- ruminationProlonged, repetitive thinking
catastrophizing · worst-case · spiraling · obsession · fear · apprehension · unease · nervousness · second-guessing · insecurity
hindsight
Recognition after the fact
- What Could Happenoutcomes, scenarios, possibilities, probabilities, hypotheticals
- overthinkingoverthink, ruminate, obsess, brood, dwell
- imaginationimagination, daydreaming, daydreams, fantasies, fantasy
- life lessonslesson learned, moral, lessons learned, life lessons, parable
- thoughtsthought, idea, thoughts, ideas, thinking
- Mental Clutterworries, overthinking, rumination, racing thoughts, intrusive thoughts
what-ifscertainties
Assured truths
facts · givens · sure things · absolutes · knowns
what-ifsactualities
Existing states of affairs
realities · what happened · the facts · the past · fait accompli
what-ifsacceptance
Consent to receive
letting go · groundedness · realism · pragmatism · moving on
what, whatever, whatsit, whatchamacallit, what-if, what if, whatsitsname, whataboutery, whatevers