1
as in hypothesis
an idea that is the starting point for making a case or conducting an investigation
my supposition is that this grape variety, which flourishes in southern France, should do equally well here, given the similar climate
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2
as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence
it's pure supposition on your part that there's something illegal going on next door
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3
as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
worthless genetic research that was based on the erroneous supposition that acquired characteristics can be passed on to offspring
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of supposition
Xi had, of course, preferred the Russian offensive to succeed smoothly and effectively, but even after the Ukrainian defenders made a mockery of that supposition, Xi seems to believe that Putin’s military problems will in the long run work to China’s advantage.
—
Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2022
In a new interview with PEOPLE about her new memoir, This Far, Holker reacted to suppositions about the relationship between Boss and DeGeneres, after the TV personality joined the comedy icon's Ellen DeGeneres Show daytime series as its resident DJ in 2014.
—EW.com, 5 Feb. 2025
The fact that the Soviets had detonated their first atomic bomb the previous summer buttressed that faulty supposition.
—James Hershberg, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2022
The supposition that the crime was committed accidentally seems equally implausible.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for supposition
Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2022
In a new interview with PEOPLE about her new memoir, This Far, Holker reacted to suppositions about the relationship between Boss and DeGeneres, after the TV personality joined the comedy icon's Ellen DeGeneres Show daytime series as its resident DJ in 2014.
—EW.com, 5 Feb. 2025
The fact that the Soviets had detonated their first atomic bomb the previous summer buttressed that faulty supposition.
—James Hershberg, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2022
The supposition that the crime was committed accidentally seems equally implausible.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for supposition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supposition
Noun
-
For this storm, my immediate hypothesis was related to dry conditions and outflow boundaries racing northward from thunderstorms to the south.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
-
According to one popular hypothesis, the pot had eventually boiled over: after eons of frustrated heating, some 800 million years ago, the planet’s outer shell buckled, and Venus’s entire surface was paved over with immense outpourings of fresh lava.—
Elise Cutts,
Scientific American,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Today’s average difficulty is 7 guesses out of 6, or very challenging.—
New York Times Games,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
-
How Trump’s deal-making will proceed from here is anyone’s guess.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Administrators can begin by: • Auditing their systems for accessibility barriers, including the assumption that students must meet traditional admissions criteria.—
Nicole Kim,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
The assumption was that the Trump Administration will not care.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
21 May 2025
Noun
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One theory raised was that the boat capsized after being struck by a waterspout (which refers to a tornado over the water), though there may have been more factors at play that contributed to the sinking.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
12 May 2025
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One theory suggests Mars lost its water to space as solar wind stripped it from the atmosphere — a process supported by ratios of isotopes on the Red Planet, or distinct species of chemical elements, seen today.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Based on this assumption, one mathematician even built an entire edifice of conjectures about exotic spheres and other shapes.—
Erica Klarreich,
Quanta Magazine,
5 May 2025
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Pope Francis, 88, died on Easter Monday, April 21, after a weeks-long illness, sparking a flurry of activity and conjecture as one of the world's oldest and most far-reaching institutions prepares to choose a new leader.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
Noun
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That would bode well for Club holding Goldman Sachs’ crucial investment banking segment, which is core to our investment thesis in the stock.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
16 May 2025
-
Hernandez injected her Mexican culture into her thesis looks.—
Essence,
Essence,
9 May 2025
Noun
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Taking on a new mortgage at a much higher rate may be a difficult proposition for many.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
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The proposition hit that sweet spot of being novel and just feasible enough to pique the interests of individuals who became key pieces to the London City Lionesses’ success.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Supposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supposition. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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