as in hypothetical
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1
as in intended
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
do you purport to spend the rest of your life on that couch, or do you think you might get a job someday?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in alleged
to state as a fact usually forcefully
he purports to be an expert in criminalistics
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purported
Prem Thakker, The New Republic, 13 Jan. 2023
There is nothing in the study that links sweeteners to any purported spike in sudden deaths or heart attacks.
—Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023
Shira Pinson, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Video widely circulating on social media purported to show the moments before the shooting, with an argument taking place over a car crash and a woman holding a gun.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purported
Adjective
That Hochul had many other options and still chose LaSalle shows either a lack of conviction in her purported beliefs or severe political ineptitude.
—Prem Thakker, The New Republic, 13 Jan. 2023
There is nothing in the study that links sweeteners to any purported spike in sudden deaths or heart attacks.
—Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023
Verb
The missile fragments purported by Iranian state media to have struck the school bear the markings of an American Tomahawk missile, according to experts who reviewed imagery obtained by NBC News and others, shared by state media, that appeared to show the fragments on a table close to the scene.
—Shira Pinson, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Video widely circulating on social media purported to show the moments before the shooting, with an argument taking place over a car crash and a woman holding a gun.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purported
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purported
Adjective
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The hypothetical study of how humans and extraterrestrials might communicate is a real scientific field, called xenolinguistics, that includes researchers from linguistics, animal communication, and anthropology.—
Tara Haelle,
NPR,
12 Apr. 2026
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Yet, primordial black holes remain frustratingly hypothetical despite being first proposed by Stephen Hawking in the 1970s.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm, and not ill-intended.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
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That was followed by an April 2025 executive order that, among other things, is intended to increase the number of parking spaces for big rigs.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After learning of the criminal investigation in 2022, King attempted to obstruct justice by deleting online records, prosecutors alleged in court documents.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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Android users who wish to exclude themselves from the settlement give up the right to separately sue Google about the claims alleged in the lawsuit.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Saks’s financial relationship with vendors has frayed as chargebacks (fees for supposed violations of shipping manuals or packaging rules) moved from occasional nuisance to what Pollet characterized as a structured revenue stream.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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But a handful of anglers, influencers, and content creators have gone public about their own experiences with DTF over the last week, and the supposed scam league is now dominating most corners of the online fishing space.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The person throwing the bowling ball might not have intended a specific victim to be killed, or even knowingly planned to kill someone, but nonetheless did something that was obviously likely to cause serious harm.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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Text discussions continued on after the in-person meetings ended and further talks were planned during the night, Iranian state TV reported, citing a source.—
Azhar Sukri,Kevin Breuninger,Terri Cullen,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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No group has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s abductions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Read's attorneys claimed that O'Keefe was never hit by a vehicle, but was instead killed inside the home during a fight and then brought outside.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Projections of economic gains from major sporting events are typically optimistic, euphoric, chimerical or conjectural.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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That statistic is somewhat conjectural, since the vast majority of rapes in India are apparently not reported.—
Mark Jenkins,
Washington Post,
7 Nov. 2023
Verb
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The Defense Department and several congressional Republicans have insisted the survivors may have still been in the fight, warranting the follow-on strike.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Motta had been completely unaware that the accidents Garrison and Alfortish had brought her were illegitimate, Toomey insisted.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purported.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purported. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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