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

: to 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 board, after the hearing, indefinitely extended the stop-work order, stipulating that the developer had to take a number of corrective steps to address the runoff issues. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Tehran’s parliament approved on Sunday a provision stipulating that ships passing through the Hormuz choke point will pay for services provided by Tehran, according to local media reports. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026

And why did the Commonwealth deny a request by Reddington, the defense attorney, to stipulate that Clancy killed her children, a formal acknowledgment of responsibility that would have focussed the trial proceedings on her criminal intent? — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026

Japanese law stipulates that executions must be carried out within six months of a final verdict after appeals are exhausted. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

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
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

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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