postulate 1 of 2

Definition of postulatenext
as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning one of the postulates that the true agnostic rejects is the assumption that it is even possible for us to know whether God exists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

postulate

2 of 2

verb

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 postulate
Noun
The reason, the authors of a new study postulate, has to do with light pollution. New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2025 Now, tangible results have emerged in a field replete with postulates and presumptions. Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2025
Verb
That’s why Nobel Prize-winning chemist Christian Anfinsen postulated in 1972 that DNA alone should fully determine the final structure a protein takes. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025 Based on their findings, researchers postulate that Homo sapiens reacted better to lead exposure evolutionarily than Neanderthals, a species that were close relatives to Homo sapiens and that went extinct around 40,000 years ago. Mason Leath, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for postulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for postulate
Noun
  • The relief will be reviewed monthly, raising questions about how long Pretoria can absorb external pressures without reopening budget assumptions.
    Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The entire fiscal architecture of the developed world rests on the assumption that capital creates jobs and workers fund the lion's share of the state.
    Ravi Kumar S, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The other says that the sky is black, then blue, and always empty.
    Sandra Lim, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In a social media post on Monday morning, Kuwait said a service building at a power generation and water desalination plant were damaged in an attack Sunday evening, killing one worker.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • His practical advice fares better than both his theories and his pallid attempts at profundity.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Behavior change theory includes a tenant of measurement known as social norms.
    Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.
    Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • And assume that any unexpected message about your Social Security number deserves a second look.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • From this information, scientists developed what is being called the TLPath model based on the hypothesis that modifications in the shape and structure of cells and tissues could be used to predict the length of telomeres.
    Ashley Mackin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • This is also where the viewer will likely find their assumptions or hypotheses about Floyd’s death and the guilty party (or parties) involved start sifting through their fingers like sand.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In September 1879, the girl died of viral encephalitis — presumed to have been transmitted by a mosquito — just weeks before her 13th birthday.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Senior European officials fear the economic and political implications of the conflict are likely to prove far worse than initially presumed, according to Mujtaba Rahman, managing director of Europe at Eurasia Group.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Two adults and three children were said to be in serious condition, while three other adults were believed to be in fair condition after they were all taken to nearby hospitals, firefighters said.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Christians believe occurred three days after his crucifixion, according to the Bible.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The Higgs was first hypothesized in the 1960s.
    Mariangela Lisanti, Twin Cities, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Some researchers hypothesize this could precipitate heart attacks in those already predisposed to having them due to clogged arteries.
    Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Postulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/postulate. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on postulate

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