as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
one of the postulates that the true agnostic rejects is the assumption that it is even possible for us to know whether God exists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to say
to take as true or as a fact without actual proof
postulates that all people are born with certain rights that can never be taken away from them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 postulate
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Another postulates that sleep removes waste from the brain.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Scientists postulate that dolphins’ social nature and seeming empathy can release chemical endorphins in people who interact with them, creating a tremendous feeling of well-being.
—David McGrath, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for postulate
Noun
That postulate would justify racial quotas or preferences to remedy racial discrimination uncorroborated by credible evidence.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Another postulates that sleep removes waste from the brain.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
That has led some scientists to postulate that dark matter could be partially or wholly accounted for by primordial black holes.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Scientists postulate that dolphins’ social nature and seeming empathy can release chemical endorphins in people who interact with them, creating a tremendous feeling of well-being.
—David McGrath, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for postulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for postulate
Noun
-
The working assumption — correctly — is that anything digital taken into China should be treated as potentially compromised.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
There is an assumption of arrogance, of high expectations, of going into every major tournament presuming their team will win it.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In recent weeks, Bass has offered her own critical assessment of Raman, saying the councilmember struggled to work closely with others — even her own allies.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Then, the magic comes in the editing room, piecing together the story to say something bigger than one shot ever could.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Karen Read filed her lawsuit against Canton and the MSP not only to reveal shockingly obscene and racist text messages between key cops investigating her — but also to relitigate the defense theory of conspiracy to frame her.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
-
The theories about what could have happened to Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mom, are varied.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The most common mistake is building the orchestrator first and assuming specialists will materialize later.—
Praveen Satyanarayana,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Democrats are refusing to agree to an extension as long as Pulte is set to assume the role.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The statement was greeted by the event moderator and the other laureates as preposterous enough to make the simulation hypothesis seem reasonable by comparison.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 June 2026
-
This hypothesis is also supported by other evidence, such as what appears to be a debris disk around the star.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
There is an assumption of arrogance, of high expectations, of going into every major tournament presuming their team will win it.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Like anyone accused of a crime, Nick is presumed innocent, and he is entitled to mount his defense with the resources that are lawfully his own.—
Liza Esquibias,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Police believe the incident occurred when at least two people began shooting at each other at the festival.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
But that, believe it or not, isn't very big for here.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The researchers hypothesized that some of those surfaces would be more catalytically active than others.—
Chris Lee,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
Because this material was found at such profound layers, researchers had to hypothesize that accidental burning would have been impossible.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Postulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/postulate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
