stipulate

1 of 2

verb

stip·​u·​late ˈsti-pyə-ˌlāt 

stipulated; stipulating

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make an agreement or covenant to do or forbear something : contract

b

: o reach agreement respecting an aspect of a legal proceeding

—used with to

stipulated to a dismissal of the claim

2

: to demand an express term in an agreement

—used with for

transitive verb

1

: to specify as a condition or requirement (as of an agreement or offer)

2

: to give a guarantee of

3

: to establish by agreement during a legal proceeding

stipulated that the evidence was sufficient

stipulator

ˈsti-pyə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

stipulate

2 of 2

adjective

stip·​u·​late ˈsti-pyə-lət 

: having stipules

Did you know?

Like many terms used in the legal profession, stipulate, an English word since the 17th century, has its roots in Latin. It comes from stipulatus, the past participle of stipulari, a verb meaning “to demand a guarantee (from a prospective debtor).” In Roman law, oral contracts were deemed valid only if they followed a proper question-and-answer format; stipulate was sometimes used specifically of this same process of contract making, though it also could be used more generally for any means of making a contract or agreement. The “to specify as a condition or requirement” meaning of stipulate also dates to the 17th century, and is the sense of the word most often encountered today.

Synonyms of stipulate

Verb

• demand
• call (for)
• press (for)
• insist (on)
• require
• request

Examples of stipulate in a Sentence

Verb

The ceasefire was stipulated by the treaty.

The rules stipulate that players must wear uniforms.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The agreement’s initial phase stipulates the delivery of approximately 720 MWh of storage capacity in 2027. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025

Arizona officials wanted to be sure Burgum would at least enforce the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which stipulates that at least half of what was then presumed to be the river’s annual flow would reach Arizona, Nevada and California on average. —Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 12 Nov. 2025

However, the Seoul high court responded by saying Min Hee-Jin’s employment at Ador was not stipulated in NewJeans’ contract, nor had the group presented any evidence that the label’s new hierarchy were treating them unfairly. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2025

Ewuare argued that the antiquities should be displayed at the Benin palace, from which they were taken, and in 2023 the Nigerian federal government stipulated that the oba could decide where the objects would be housed. —News Desk, Artforum, 10 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin stipulatus, past participle of stipulari to demand a guarantee (from a prospective debtor)

Adjective

New Latin stipula

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1624, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adjective

circa 1776, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stipulate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

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Kids Definition

stipulate

verb

stip·​u·​late

ˈstip-yə-ˌlāt

stipulated; stipulating

: to demand or insist on as part of an agreement

Legal Definition

stipulate

verb

stip·​u·​late ˈsti-pyə-ˌlāt 

stipulated; stipulating

intransitive verb

1

: to make an agreement or covenant about something (as damages)

2

: to demand a particular promise in an agreement

—used with for

may…assume or stipulate for obligations of all kinds

—Louisiana Civil Code

3

: to agree respecting an aspect of legal proceedings

—used with to

stipulated to a dismissal of the claim with prejudice

—National Law Journal

pleaded guilty to the charge of battery and stipulated to the underlying facts

—Luna v. Meinke, 844 F. Supp. 1284 (1994)

transitive verb

1

: to specify especially as a condition or requirement of an agreement

parties may not stipulate the invalidity of statutes or ordinances

—West v. Bank of Commerce & Trusts, 167 F.2d 664 (1948)

the contract stipulated that the lessor was responsible for maintenance

within a stipulated period of time

2

: to establish (procedure or evidence) by agreement during a proceeding

defendant stipulated that evidence was sufficient to support his conspiracy conviction

—National Law Journal

based on stipulated facts

Etymology

Verb

Latin stipulatus, past participle of stipulari to exact (as from a prospective debtor) a formal guarantee when making an oral contract