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 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 Many of our putative Gulf allies may rethink their ally-ship. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 May 2026 These putative restorers of greatness evoke a vision of the past that never was and sell it to those who feel a loss of identity in the present. — Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 28 May 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
  • Pride in our rising football team is already apparent across campus and is growing throughout the surrounding neighborhoods.
    — Monique Carroll, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • An apparent Education Department data error is causing student loan forgiveness credit to be wiped out overnight, setting borrowers back and causing widespread panic.
    — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 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
  • And the Maryland Department of Health has had 29 confirmed and 114 probable cases of Vibrio vulnificus so far.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The standard is very low, and that is 'more probable than not' that this child may have been put in an unreasonable risk of harm.
    — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of probable
Adjective
  • Mangione's lawyers and federal prosecutors in Manhattan also discussed a possible guilty plea in his federal case in June, sources previously told ABC News.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • With an address right in the heart of Paris, this place is ideal for first-timers who want to see as much as possible, or art lovers who are in town specifically to see the Louvre.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of possible
Adjective
  • That is the ostensible purpose of a cover, to promote its wares, but also to more mysteriously convey what reading an individual book might feel like.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In the sole panel now summarizing Washington’s participation, nearly every paragraph makes some mention of his ostensible antislavery views.
    — John Garrison Marks, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026
Definition of ostensible
Adjective
  • These innocuous-seeming actions can kindle dry vegetation, potentially spawning a wildfire.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • The princess was spotted wearing a gold nautical charm bracelet on her wrist—a seeming nod to the one famously given to her late grandmother Princess Diana by her then-husband Prince Charles after their wedding on July 29, 1981.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 July 2026
Definition of seeming
Adjective
  • His first season with Bayern Munich, after leaving Liverpool in summer 2023, brought decent numbers but obvious tactical issues, leading to a sale to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia for nearly the same fee a year later.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Film noir is the most obvious one, and much of the episode takes both its visual cues and its tone from classic noir.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 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 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of putative for Spanish Speakers

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