proposal
Americannoun
-
proposals
plural
-
the act of offering or suggesting something for acceptance, adoption, or performance.
- Synonyms:
- recommendation
-
a plan or scheme proposed.
- Synonyms:
- design, suggestion
-
an offer or suggestion of marriage.
noun
-
the act of proposing
-
something proposed, as a plan
-
an offer, esp of marriage
Synonym Usage
Proposal, overture, proposition refer to something in the nature of an offer. A proposal is a plan, a scheme, an offer to be accepted or rejected: to make proposals for peace. An overture is a friendly approach, an opening move (perhaps involving a proposal) tentatively looking toward the settlement of a controversy or else preparing the way for a proposal or the like: to make overtures to an enemy. Proposition, used in mathematics to refer to a formal statement of truth, and often including the proof or demonstration of the statement, has something of this same meaning when used nontechnically (particularly in business). A proposition is a proposal in which the terms are clearly stated and their advantageous nature emphasized: His proposition involved a large discount to the retailer.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of proposal
Explanation
A proposal is an offer. When making a marriage proposal, get down on one knee. When making a business proposal, try to stay off the floor. A proposal is a suggested plan or offer. After overhearing the marriage proposal, everyone in the restaurant watched in silence, waiting to hear your answer. At least you said "yes" to dessert. There are other types of proposals besides marriage offers: "Your proposal that the dollar be replaced by a new currency made of cheese has gained support from the dairy industry."
Vocabulary lists containing proposal
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Duwai approached village elders with a proposal to protect part of their fishing grounds, originally a 30-by-40-metre area within the reef.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
The proposal seems to be far less divisive amongst the public and online safety experts compared with Australia's social media ban for children.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Technologies that have entered the public domain through published papers or open-source releases are excluded from controls, according to the draft proposal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The owners’ initial proposal set a salary cap of $245 million next year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
On the question of funding the domestic debt, for example, Hamilton regarded Madison’s proposal to distinguish between original and present holders of government securities as naive and mischievous.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
One theme that permeates all AI-generated regulatory proposals is that AI is unique, requiring a new regulatory scheme.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
The Microsoft boss outlined the company's proposals to strengthen safety across the sector, starting with a requirement that AI agents be equipped with "safety brakes" that users could activate in the event of an incident.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
The new SEC proposals would allow sponsors to operate these vehicles more flexibly.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Noel Tata has made two proposals to avoid listing the company.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Kissinger brought the proposals to Paris, knowing there was zero chance they would be accepted by the North Vietnamese.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
