A. G. N. Flew
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When you postulate an idea or theory you suggest that it is true especially for the purposes of an argument or discussion. The word postulate is mostly at home in formal and academic contexts, but don’t let that stop you from postulating, for example, that takeout for dinner makes sense given the cook’s delayed return home from work, or that a thunderstorm is imminent given the cumulonimbus building on the horizon. This “hypothesize” sense of postulate emerged in the early 18th century, but the verb first appeared in English centuries earlier in ecclesiastical contexts, as recorded in our Unabridged dictionary. To postulate someone, according to this sense of the word, was to request that a higher authority in the church sanction their promotion even though they would otherwise be disqualified by church rules or regulations.
Examples of postulate in a Sentence
Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
There’s no point postulating a soul that might rise beyond the reach of artificial illumination, because the very vault of the Universe is inscribed with radiant diagrams.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
That postulate would justify racial quotas or preferences to remedy racial discrimination uncorroborated by credible evidence.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for postulate
Cite this Entry
“Postulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postulate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
postulate
1 of 2 verb
postulate
2 of 2 noun
Medical Definition
postulate
noun
