supposition

noun

ˌsə-pə-ˈzi-shən How to pronounce supposition (audio)
Definition of suppositionnext
1
as in hypothesis
an idea that is the starting point for making a case or conducting an investigation my supposition is that this grape variety, which flourishes in southern France, should do equally well here, given the similar climate

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2
as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence it's pure supposition on your part that there's something illegal going on next door

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3
as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning worthless genetic research that was based on the erroneous supposition that acquired characteristics can be passed on to offspring

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of supposition What becomes alarmingly evident through the key assumptions check is how many of the current responses expect a quick resolution of the conflict — a supposition that is unsound, or at least unsupported. — Judd Devermont, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026 The supposition is the equivalent of green tea giant Bigelow taking Coca-Cola to court for its pour dominance in McDonald’s restaurants. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Zlotnikov wrote that the condition was likely caused by a mutation that had occurred very early in embryonic development, a supposition that was confirmed decades later by genetic analysis. — Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026 The past eight months have exposed both suppositions. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for supposition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supposition
  1. hypothesis
  2. guess
  3. assumption
  4. theory
  5. conjecture
  6. thesis
  7. proposition
Noun
  • Until then, readers should take these issues as interesting hypotheses and case discussions.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Data from the Forest Service tentatively confirms Finch’s hypothesis, suggesting that kudzu occupies around 227,000 acres of Southern land, just a small fraction of the millions of acres it has been said to cover.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypothesis
Noun
  • Markets will certainly try to anticipate Fed actions, based on economic data and our guess about how the Fed will respond to new data.
    — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Whether or not the man who lost his three children will continue to be abused online is anyone’s guess.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of guess
Noun
  • The alternative is to allow each side’s strategy to reinforce the other’s worst assumptions until escalation begins to look less like a choice than an inevitability.
    — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bareilles is mourning a few things — the deaths of close friends, dreams of easy fertility, assumptions of female autonomy, the American dream — but the music soars, more often than not.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of assumption
Noun
  • The lipstick index is an economic theory holding that sales of affordable discretionary spending or luxuries skyrocket when consumers believe an economic recession is impending.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Turing’s theory of computation wasn’t really about computers, at least not at first.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of theory
Noun
  • That conjecture could be broken down into two separate problems.
    — Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The American public distrusts its legal institutions and media outlets, creating a vacuum in which wild conjecture can bloom.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of conjecture
Noun
  • The Venture Capital Thesis At IXSAR Capital, our thesis is that intelligent systems are becoming the next major technology platform.
    — John Gabriel, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Yet Cao’s projects are less expository than Farocki’s, less resolute in their theses.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of thesis
Noun
  • But keeping that up can be a tiring proposition once a Grand Slam rolls around.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • His brief stint lasted a year, with his two runway shows landing more like a playlist of Tom Ford’s greatest hits than a proposition for its revitalization.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of proposition

Browse Nearby Words

supposing
supposition
suppositional
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Cite this Entry

“Supposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supposition. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on supposition

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about supposition

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