premise 1 of 2

noun

ˈpre-məs How to pronounce premise (audio)
variants also premiss
Definition of premisenext
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

premise

2 of 2

verb

ˈpre-məs How to pronounce premise (audio)
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
Noun
Changing temperature settings can compromise entire storage facilities without requiring physical access to supermarket premises. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026 Uninterested Woman Game Show A classic game show premise, where our contestants are three scuzzy-looking men (Inde Navarrette, Jane Wickline, and Sarah Sherman) who really cannot just leave a married lesbian named Kelly (Saidah Belo-Osagie) alone. — Rima Parikh, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
In fiction, spoiler alerts exist to protect the reader experience, premised on the idea that knowing a story’s outcome will reduce momentum and suspense. — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 The result is a haunting portrait of social collapse whose power is premised on the words and faces of survivors. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for premise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for premise
  1. assumption
  2. ground
  3. say
  4. theory
  5. yard
  6. assume
  7. park
  8. presume
Noun
  • The result depends on the assumption that nuclear reaction rates and neutron decay follow the same scaling as the expansion rate.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • However, the conversation has also attracted a wave of caution from health professionals, warning against drawing medical conclusions from skin-deep assumptions.
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of assumption
Noun
  • These connections replicate those planned for the tokamak and will allow engineers to assess the magnet’s high-voltage ground insulation.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The spot sparked national bipartisan backlash on grounds that Acton's mother had lost custody of her children decades ago after her husband, their stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton as a child.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of ground
Verb
  • Portavadie, Argyll Situated on the banks of Loch Fyne on Scotland’s west coast, Portavadie is home to what is thought to be the biggest heated outdoor infinity pool in the country, said Rachel Dixon in The Guardian.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Sébastien Guérémy, Thales‘ vice president of Underwater Systems, said the exercise demonstrated how different autonomous platforms and specialized equipment could operate within one framework.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of say
Noun
  • In one prominent theory, the defining feature of introspection is that it’s based on particular mental representations of other thoughts.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Attorney General Todd Blanche subscribes to the unitary executive theory that does not recognize or allow the independence of government lawyers from the president.
    — David Baldacci, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of theory
Noun
  • Looking confused, the Parrots deserved an Academy Award for their acting skills, because on their third play, quarterback King Exusdus took the snap from shotgun formation and sprinted 82 yards for a touchdown.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • That’s a considerable drop off for a player who combined for 1,131 yards from scrimmage (911 rushing) and 10 TDs in his rookie season last year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of yard
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
Definition of assume
Noun
  • In the middle of the park, visible from the terrace of the restaurant, is a museum dedicated to the work of modernist sculptor Wilhelm Lehmbruck, designed by the artist’s son Manfred in 1957.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • In Palm Beach County, Amendment 3 could mean higher fees for beach parking, water, sewer, police, fire, parks, museums and libraries, and longer response times for emergency services.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of park
Verb
  • Another defeat on Decision Day in Seattle under interim head coach Xavi Tamarit will not change that, presuming the Galaxy don’t win and overcome a negative-19 goal differential.
    — Josh Gross, Daily News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In David’s 1996 novel Absolute Power, an American president presumes himself to be above the rule of law and seeks to force his underlings to commit criminal acts that will benefit him.
    — David Baldacci, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of presume

Browse Nearby Words

premierships
premise
premised
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Premise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/premise. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on premise

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about premise

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cockamamie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All