supposed
adjective
sup·posed
sə-ˈpōzd 
senses 1b and 2a usually
sə-ˈpō-zəd
senses 3 and 4 often
sə-ˈpōst
1
2
b
: considered probable or certain : expected
It was not supposed that everybody could master the technical aspects …—
J. C. Murray
J. C. Murray
c
: understood
… you will be supposed to refer to my grandaunt …—George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw3
: made or fashioned by intent or design
what's that button supposed to do
4
a
: required by or as if by authority
soldiers are supposed to obey their commanding officers
b
: given permission : permitted
was not supposed to have visitors
Examples of supposed in a Sentence
this new computer program is a supposed improvement over the old one
Recent Examples on the Web
Within a month, the school staff became suspicious when a supposed guardian — allegedly Hewitt’s adult roommate — attempted to remove her from school.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
The supposed ransom note, first reported by the celebrity news site TMZ, demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin.
—New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
What the profit narrative misses The focus on supposed physician profits obscures the real policy problem: Inadequate reimbursement is threatening vaccine access.
—Jess Steier, STAT, 29 Jan. 2026
In 2023, the writer Patricia Lockwood chafed at Wallace’s supposed sainthood in a long piece for the London Review of Books.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for supposed
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Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
The supposed ransom note, first reported by the celebrity news site TMZ, demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin.
—New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
What the profit narrative misses The focus on supposed physician profits obscures the real policy problem: Inadequate reimbursement is threatening vaccine access.
—Jess Steier, STAT, 29 Jan. 2026
In 2023, the writer Patricia Lockwood chafed at Wallace’s supposed sainthood in a long piece for the London Review of Books.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for supposed
Cite this Entry
“Supposed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supposed. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
: believed to be true or real
a supposed cure
2
: considered probable or certain : expected
they are supposed to be here tomorrow
3
: required by or as if by authority
you are supposed to listen to your parents
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