variants
also premiss
1
as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
your conclusion is all wrong because you started out with a false premise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ground
premises plural
the area around and belonging to a building
detectives painstakingly searched the premises for clues to the disappearance
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to say
to take as true or as a fact without actual proof
let us premise certain things, such as every person's need for love, before beginning our line of reasoning
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 premise
Douglas Hanks
march 13, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Mason’s film, however, went deeper than its premise might suggest; alongside the story of Barry’s persecution on obscenity charges by Ronald Reagan’s FBI, the doc also offered a chilling reminder of the lethal effects of the 1980s AIDS crisis.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Ben Bayer, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
The southern United States under the Jim Crow system of segregation, for example, was governed by a form of racial fascism premised not on a single powerful leader, but on decentralized groups of vigilantes and terrorists.
—Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for premise
Noun
Grim predictions on the consequences of a tax cut also operate under the premise that local governments would not take any steps to raise new revenue.
—Douglas Hanks
march 13, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Mason’s film, however, went deeper than its premise might suggest; alongside the story of Barry’s persecution on obscenity charges by Ronald Reagan’s FBI, the doc also offered a chilling reminder of the lethal effects of the 1980s AIDS crisis.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Founders gave us not a democracy, but a constitutional republic, a system premised on limiting government’s function solely to protecting the individual’s rights.
—Ben Bayer, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
The southern United States under the Jim Crow system of segregation, for example, was governed by a form of racial fascism premised not on a single powerful leader, but on decentralized groups of vigilantes and terrorists.
—Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for premise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for premise
Noun
-
Shor’s milestone result underscored the importance of quantum encryption methods that didn’t require assumptions about mathematical difficulty.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The approach aimed to support faster scenario evaluation, clearer tradeoffs, and greater alignment on organizational assumptions.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The deployment does not necessarily indicate that a ground operation is imminent or will take place.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Sontag claimed to have forgotten about him, but his vanishing is better explained on writerly grounds.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As with most award shows, part of the fun is scrolling social media to see what other viewers are saying, checking out the memes being made and enjoying the highlights from the night.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
16 Mar. 2026
-
In a recent interview with Time, Foundation co-founder Mike LeBlanc said the company deployed two Phantom Mk-I humanoid robots to Ukraine in February.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers developed a new approach, the constant inner potential density functional theory, which enables the inclusion of the electrode potential in the simulation of semiconductor electrochemistry.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
-
In addition to being politically fraught, the plan would undoubtedly be the target of litigation under a variety of legal theories.—
Jon Coupal,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Rarely have an actor's eyes been put to such good use, as Murphy's thousand-yard stare communicates guilt, regret, and anxious anticipation of how his life's work will impact the world for generations to come.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
José Francisco Pérez Mackenna took the oath as chancellor, while María Trinidad Steinert became the minister of security and Fernando Rabat assumed office as minister of justice and human rights.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Shortly afterward, however, Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the constitutional body responsible for selecting the supreme leader — announced that Mojtaba Khamenei would assume leadership of the Islamic Republic.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Named for a Finnish general, the Mannerheim Suite has parquet floors, high ceilings, and park views.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The same park will host Saturday’s gathering, which aims to push the goal of returning to the island.—
Sarah Moreno
March 16,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Federal investigators stress the charges remain allegations, and Ford is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Staff,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
People seem to presume certain characteristics about drivers of Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac and even Lincoln.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Premise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/premise. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
