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

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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
Now, building on their previous research, the Curtin and Sheffield Hallam University scientists postulate that the movement of the altar stone may have involved a combination of human and glacial transport. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 5 June 2026 There’s no point postulating a soul that might rise beyond the reach of artificial illumination, because the very vault of the Universe is inscribed with radiant diagrams. — Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for postulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for postulate
Noun
  • The firm also cut its price target to $11 from $13 and raised its fuel expense assumption for the third quarter to about $207 million.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This assumption is oversimplified, and the problem is partly one of accounting.
    — Ben Vanpeperstraete, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Lowndes, who has served as Maitland’s mayor since 2021 and is set to resign Tuesday, said soaring costs for property insurance are a big part of the affordability problem in housing.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • At one point, decades ago, Flagler Village was one of the most blighted neighborhoods in the city, Glassman said.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In September 2026 Huang and a few collaborators uploaded a proof that the historic equations represent a single case of a much grander geometrical theory.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But there are many theories about why people are attracted to true crime, with serial killers being the stars of that world.
    — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • One where experiential equity is built in from the beginning, where disabled fans are assumed to be an integral part of the audience, and where live music becomes more expansive.
    — Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Instead of assuming that alien civilizations must communicate through elaborate messages, scientists could first look for signals whose patterns appear deliberately different from their natural surroundings.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • In the charming, approachable How to Design a Universe, Heymans uses a similar toolkit on the simulation hypothesis.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Solving identity at scale means evaluating competing hypotheses across candidate entities simultaneously.
    — Filip Popovic, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The motion noted that Brockway gave an officer a residence key that was later given to another officer who presumed it to imply consent for entry.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Iris is presumed to have been painted in the open air circa 1924–25, near the end of the artist’s life.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • At its heart is a figure shaped like a mountain which is believed to be the god Yúcahu.
    — James Rampton, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Investigators believe Suarez, 28, was likely the victim of a random attack when she was stabbed in the neck on a bike trail along the Shore Parkway Greenway promenade off the Belt Parkway near Canton Ave.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • To illustrate, Kilaru hypothesized a women’s lacrosse player.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This unique trait has led planetary scientists to hypothesize that the asteroid formed in the frigid outer solar system and migrated inward early in the solar system's history.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026

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“Postulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/postulate. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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