Definition of supposednext

supposed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of suppose
1
as in estimated
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement if we suppose a minimum profit of $10,000 from the charity auction, we should be able to pay for the family's medical expenses

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

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 supposed
Adjective
But clearly any supposed rivalry between the legendary bands is water under the bridge. Peter Gicas, Entertainment Weekly, 14 July 2026
Verb
As an imperial family member who is not supposed to make political statements, Akishino was nuanced in his comments. ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Turning this whole thing into a joke also undermines the danger of the Trawler — just how seriously are we supposed to take this threat? Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 In a wide-ranging interview that includes Carter’s thoughts on Ryan Coogler’s upcoming X-Files reboot and reflections on the show’s final seasons, the filmmaker explains why this is how the movie was always supposed to be. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026 Both Brown and Proctor said they were supposed resume classes on Monday, Homewood-Flossmoor High School remained closed to student activities, athletics and staff meetings for the rest of this week. Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 But that moment, that is an ad-lib because the line was [supposed to be] very calm. Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 This was not supposed to be a film about drug addiction, per se. Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026 They’re not supposed to be testing his loyalty, much less taking it for granted. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026 But wasn’t there supposed to be another satellite service, from Amazon, which will compete with Starlink? Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supposed
Adjective
  • The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.
    Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The results of that study, published in 2016, identified 235 distinct bears using genetic testing and estimated the total bear population in western Connecticut was around 400 to 450 individuals.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Ventura County Sheriff's Office estimated that the total damage will cost car owners several thousand dollars.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Control of South Korean troops was assumed by United Nations Command, and in 1978, by the Combined Forces Command (CFC), which has always been led by an American general.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This meant that they were designed to administer large, complicated, stable programs through careful planning and centralized control and that the problems they were supposed to address were assumed to be known in advance.
    Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The remains are believed to be those of a man who may have been sacrificed during a ritual in which a canal linked to a ceremonial pool was closed.
    CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • New Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca worked with the Argentine at Chelsea and is believed to be keen on a reunion with the player.
    Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Shortly after arrival at the hospital, deputies said that 8-year-old Camila Leon had succumbed to her injuries.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Another person, Robert Zanolla, faces charges of felony conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility, as well as related misdemeanors, the office said.
    Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The note briefly displayed in court Thursday offered jurors in Clancy’s triple-murder trial perhaps their best glimpse yet at the Massachusetts mother’s apparent perspective on her own struggle with mental health leading up to the killings.
    Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As students returned to campuses earlier this week to begin a new school year, the district’s worst-case scenario has not come to pass, although its apparent financial reprieve remains fragile.
    Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • As Zucman calculated in 2025, the share of total American household wealth that modern American oligarchs owned was now more than double the size of the wealth owned by the Rockefellers, Carnegies, and others combined.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Neither of us are big fans of over aging these delicate white wines in new oak barrels, but a careful and calculated use of oak can offer a nice wood frame to highlight the art in the glass.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The big reason passkeys are safer is that they can't be stolen, copied, or guessed.
    Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes PLCs have no passwords or easily guessed ones, security experts told CBS News.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Supposed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supposed. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on supposed

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster