putative

adjective

ˈpyü-tə-tiv How to pronounce putative (audio)
Definition of putativenext
as in apparent
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed the putative reason for her dismissal was poor job performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 putative Neither the ministry nor the official who spoke to Reuters gave any further details on the putative ceasefire discussions. — Reuters, NBC news, 20 July 2026 Their putative wedding date comes nearly three years after June 8, 2023, when the Eras Tour hit Kansas City. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026 But the sheer fervor of protest from putative allies stunned Eaddy. — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026 If that theory still holds, putative 2028 Democratic candidate Rahm Emanuel has an early advantage — in the bike lane. — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for putative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putative
  1. apparent
  2. presumed
  3. probable
  4. possible
  5. ostensible
  6. seeming
  7. obvious
Adjective
  • The Trying star is leading The Death of Sherlock Holmes, which fills the gap between the detective’s apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls in 1891 and his reappearance in The Adventure of the Empty House three years later.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Investigators with the city of Douglas, Georgia have released the identities of the five adults killed in an apparent murder-suicide last week.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of apparent
Adjective
  • The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
Definition of presumed
Adjective
  • With their season and pursuit of history on the line, the Boys in Blue are slated to send Tyler Glasnow to the mound against Milwaukee, which hasn't yet announced a probable starter.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The recent spate of probable Russian attacks in the Black Sea is now disrupting shipping carrying Ukraine’s latest harvest to the rest of Europe, with some cargo being rerouted overland or through the River Danube, Politico reported.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of probable
Adjective
  • Another 1 to 3 inches of rain is possible through the rest of the weekend, with localized totals exceeding 5 inches, as showers shift toward the Northeast.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Cappu is using the market to meet distributors and other possible partners on the title, with available rights to be confirmed on a per-territory basis.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of possible
Adjective
  • The timing suggested that the United States was consciously undercutting an ostensible ally, pressuring Zelensky to step aside or risk catastrophic outcomes on the battlefield.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But even absent that, congressional Democrats can partner with international experts to help determine who was killed and for what ostensible reason.
    — Anjali Dayal, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of ostensible
Adjective
  • The wholesale change and Payton’s explanation for it after practice represented a dramatic shift in approach and tone from an offseason brimming with confidence and seeming conviction in the move.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But Chee’s first-person, present-tense narration differs from most in being, in a seeming paradox, retrospective.
    — Garth Greenwell, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of seeming
Adjective
  • Many players have obvious economic incentives to seek to extend their collegiate careers for as long as possible.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The press release probably didn’t need to also say the company imbued it with distinctive character or charm; that’s quite obvious from the design.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of obvious

Browse Nearby Words

put aside
putative
putatively
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Cite this Entry

“Putative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putative. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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