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

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 supposition That’s a supposition supported, if not proven, by increases in U.S. imports from Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan and other countries corresponding to declines in specific commodities from China. Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 In ordinary times, the likes of Dawn would be dismissed as crackpots, but in pandemic limbo, with everyone bored and at a loose end, her weird suppositions start to get traction, sending everyone down internet rabbit holes. Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2025 This supposition might seem fanciful, but let’s fantasize. Dylan Matthews, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Rather than believing that humankind devised AGI, there will be a supposition that a special or magical force beyond our awareness has opted to confer AI with human-like qualities. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for supposition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supposition
Noun
  • The scaling hypothesis—the belief that bigger models will produce more intelligent outputs—seems to rest on the dubious belief that a system that has been fed enough information about the world will not have to deal with fuzziness.
    Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
  • One thing the different hypotheses tend to have in common is an emphasis on the cooling effects of rainfall.
    Chris Mooney, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • My guess would be HBO may want The Last of Us to end with one more season rather than two.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • As is so often the case in this column, zero is a savvy guess.
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • For years, Fort Worth ISD had asked those staffers to focus on helping teachers improve their teaching skills, with the assumption that better instruction — and, therefore, higher test scores — would follow.
    Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Aug. 2025
  • In early discovery, speed helps teams test assumptions and surface flaws quickly.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Size isn’t everything in gorilla society Based on traditional theories of power and dominance among gorillas, males should consistently outrank females.
    RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, most popular theories of evolution focused on male-dominated, and in many cases aggressive, activities such as hunting, fighting, toolmaking, and semen-spreading to understand our development as a species.
    Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Of course, until some movement actually happens as far as Tennessee's coaching staff is concerned, all of this is nothing more than conjecture at this point.
    Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Federal rules and laws are not usually based on such conjecture, though.
    Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Editor's Note: This story was written under advisement of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where the author conducted this reporting in completion of his Master of Arts thesis.
    Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
  • All contribute to a convincing business vision and clear investment thesis that internal and external stakeholders can understand and convey.
    Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Reviewing a game like Shantae Advance is an interesting proposition because, on one hand, this is a truly old retro game originally designed for a handheld console.
    David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
  • The Average Ordinary philosophy encourages businesses to: • Launch with Simplicity: Release a functional product or idea that captures your core value proposition.
    Michele Zanello, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Supposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supposition. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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