Definition of postulatenext
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

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
Noun
Euclid’s postulates for geometry; various schemes for standardizing arithmetic. 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
Verb
In 1905, Einstein had postulated that the speed of light is constant in a vacuum and independent of the observer’s motion. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for postulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for postulate
Noun
  • Here is a brief overview and judgement calls of several garden insects that challenge our assumptions about who belongs in which column.
    Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026
  • As with any heat metric, calculating the heat index involves making some assumptions about the person and the conditions around them.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Nguyen said that led to an epiphany — and the creation of an Atlanta-area business that has caught the attention of social media scrollers, celebrity clientele and global automakers.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
  • Giselle Garcia, program director for NorCal Resist, said the arrest data largely tracks with the organization’s own informal counts though emphasized much enforcement goes unaccounted for if families aren’t willing to speak up.
    Mathew Miranda July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Jason Melara, Taylor and Johnson not only with his murder, but also the killing of Mario Melara under the theory that his death was provoked by the armed robbery of Aguilar.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • In another discrepancy, Crump said that a witness reported Wells had planned to leave on the boat with his friends, contradicting the sheriff's theory.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
Verb
  • Some Cuba watchers are skeptical Rodríguez Castro could assume a leading role in the official government.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Vahidi, who assumed the role after his predecessor Mohammad Pakpour was killed in US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, is rarely seen in public.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • Sample of the asteroid collected by Tianwen-2 could help prove that hypothesis, if the mission is successful.
    Brett Tingley, Space.com, 7 July 2026
  • However, this hypothesis comes mainly from population patterns modeled from DNA sequences.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • Creativity, though, presumes a background in classic technique onto which a personal point of view is added.
    Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 3 July 2026
  • Although it has not been announced, it is presumed that Dixon will sign with Arrow McLaren beginning with the 2027 season.
    Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • One ring found Thursday was engraved with characters believed to be Bhrami script, an ancient Indian writing system.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
  • In the Darnytskyi district, several multistory buildings were damaged and people were believed to be buried in the rubble.
    Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • This skewing has been hypothesized as a contributor to the variability in symptoms of Marfan in families with the same mutation.
    Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
  • That’s why some people are hypothesizing that vitamin D can slow aging.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 28 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Postulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/postulate. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on postulate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster