Phrase guide

dark forest hypothesis

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A proposed explanation for the Fermi paradox that suggests extraterrestrial civilizations are abundant but remain silent and hidden, positing that any intelligent civilization views others as potential threats and thus actively avoids revealing itself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, mysticism, mythology, philosophy, sciences, ufology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From dark + forest + hypothesis. From the title of the novel The Dark Forest (2008) (黑暗森林), by Liu Cixin (刘慈欣), from Chinese 黑暗森林, from 黑暗+森林. Coined by Chinese author Cixin Liu originally in Chinese, then translated into English.