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null hypothesis
This term is a technical cornerstone of frequentist statistics and the scientific method. It represents the skeptical position that any observed effect is due to chance rather than a specific cause. In practice, researchers do not prove the null hypothesis to be true; they either reject it or fail to reject it, reflecting a cautious approach to evidence.
Because it is a specialized term of art, it is almost exclusively used in academic, medical, and scientific registers. Using it in casual conversation would be inappropriately formal or overly technical. It is frequently paired with the alternative hypothesis, which posits the existence of a real effect or relationship.
Meanings
A default statement in statistics asserting that there is no significant difference or relationship between specified populations or variables, which is tested to be potentially rejected in favor of an alternative hypothesis.
The researchers failed to reject the null hypothesis, suggesting that the new drug had no effect compared to the placebo.