supposed

adjective

sup·​posed sə-ˈpōzd 

senses 1b and 2a usually

sə-ˈpō-zəd 

senses 3 and 4 often

sə-ˈpōst 

1

a

: pretended

twelve hours are supposed to elapse between Acts I and II

—W. S. Gilbert

b

: alleged

trusted my supposed friends

2

a

: held as an opinion : believed

also : mistakenly believed : imagined

the sight which makes supposed terror true

—William Shakespeare

b

: considered probable or certain : expected

it was not supposed that everybody could master the technical aspects

—J. C. Murray

c

: understood

you will be supposed to refer to my grandaunt

—G. B. Shaw

3

: made or fashioned by intent or design

what's that button supposed to do

4

a

: required by or as if by authority

soldiers are supposed to obey their commanding officers

b

: given permission : permitted

was not supposed to have visitors

Synonyms

• apparent
• assumed
• evident
• ostensible
• ostensive
• presumed
• prima facie
• putative
• reputed
• seeming

Examples of supposed in a Sentence

this new computer program is a supposed improvement over the old one

Recent Examples on the Web

An official interpreter leans down to listen to Uni’s supposed prediction, and delivers the prediction in Pennsylvania Dutch. —Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024

In fact, in this place of supposed healing, Wojnicz begins to notice a certain strange dissipation, as if no one were actually getting better at all. —Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024

Part of the region’s allure is its supposed emptiness – a place that appears untouched by humans. —Kizito Makoye, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Oct. 2024

The supposed farmer performed monologues from William Tell, Macbeth and Goethe’s Faust. —Tomas Weber, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing supposed

• be supposed to
• what's that supposed to mean

Kids Definition

supposed

adjective

sup·​posed sə-ˈpōzd 

sense 1 usually

-ˈpō-zəd 

senses 2 & 3 often

-ˈpōst 

1

: believed to be true or real

a supposed cure

2

: considered probable or certain : expected

they are supposed to be here tomorrow

3

: required by or as if by authority

you are supposed to listen to your parents

supposedly

-ˈpō-zəd-lē 

 also  -ˈpōz-dlē

adverb