suppose
Americanverb (used with object)
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supposes,
present (3rd person singular)
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supposed,
past participle, past
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supposing
present participle
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to assume (something) for the sake of argument, as part of a proposition or theory, a problem set to be solved as an exercise, etc..
If we suppose the distance to be one mile, and his jogging speed to be six miles per hour, how long will it take him to cover the distance?
OK, let's suppose we can get through their defenses—what then?
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to consider (something) as a suggested possibility or proposed plan.
Suppose we wait until tomorrow, after the weather clears up.
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to believe or presume to be true; take for granted.
Most people supposed that his death was an accident.
Will you go on forever supposing that you can act this way without consequences?
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to think or hold tentatively as an opinion; guess; imagine.
What do you suppose he will do?
I don’t suppose they’d lend us their truck, would they?
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to require logically; imply; presuppose.
The evidence supposes his presence near the scene.
verb (used without object)
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supposes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
supposed,
past participle, past
-
supposing
present participle
idioms
verb
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to presume (something) to be true without certain knowledge
I suppose he meant to kill her
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to consider as a possible suggestion for the sake of discussion, elucidation, etc; postulate
suppose that he wins the election
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(of theories, propositions, etc) to imply the inference or assumption (of)
your policy supposes full employment
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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supposesimple
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supposessimple
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have supposedperfect
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has supposedperfect
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am supposingprogressive
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are supposingprogressive
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is supposingprogressive
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have been supposingperfect progressive
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has been supposingperfect progressive
Past
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supposedsimple
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had supposedperfect
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was supposingprogressive
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were supposingprogressive
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had been supposingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of suppose
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English supposen, from Old French supposer, from sup- sup- + poser “to place, put” ( see pose 1); compare Medieval Latin suppōnere “to suppose” (in Latin: “to substitute, place below”)
Explanation
If you suppose you want to see that new horror movie, you may not be too sure. Suppose means to guess, think, or imagine something without absolute certainty. Best to hold off and watch something funny instead. Suppose also has the meaning of assuming something hypothetical for the sake of argument. You might ask, "Suppose someone breaks in while I'm away?" Suppose also has the more technical (and often legal) sense of something you must take for granted if some other condition is to happen. Your theory might suppose the victim was home by 8:00. In this last sense, suppose introduces something that's a precondition.
Vocabulary lists containing suppose
Think Tank: Thought-Provoking Vocabulary
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A Farewell To Arms
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"Journeys," Vocabulary from Lesson 28
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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:
I suppose the only thing that would keep Tennessee from trying again is that there is a competency requirement for execution.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026
I suppose a Richard Nixon revival was inevitable.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
"The public arguments that we had, I suppose, were enough," she said, and agreed with the interviewer that she had an ally in Drakeford.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
But I suppose I can’t laud the valuable healing qualities of his music and then wish that fewer people had shown up to get a taste.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
“Well, I suppose that’s fair. But I don’t want you spending all your time there. No more than an hour a day, okay?”
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
The Romans of the Empire had much to be proud of, one supposes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
“Sinners,” Ryan Coogler’s newest film, supposes that music has the power to conjure spirits past, present and evil.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2025
Big scientific discoveries tend to attract myths which supposes their creation to have occurred "at one moment by one person", but the overarching research "tends to need collaboration across national boundaries," he added.
From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2025
The pathway for law students supposes that law schools will be involved in some level, Rooksby said.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2024
She supposes that you are far away from London, in Shropshire.
From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli
Soon after, she flew to Tel Aviv to see him on what was supposed to be a short visit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
If hearing the arguments of Shapiro, who acts as a producer, in the mouths of supposed twentysomethings doesn’t give the game away, the baffling characterizations in the film do.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
“I feel like that just came with playing more, and just understanding what I was supposed to do, understanding my role,” Thiero said this week of his progress during the summer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Going into this, there was positivity around Scotland's energy and the chances they'd been creating, about a burgeoning attacking style far removed from Clarke's supposed stodginess.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
I’m not sure what’s supposed to happen next.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
“Bucking Fastard” relishes those contradictions, supposing that there might be some version of life where they can coexist in harmony.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
“I would be a little leery of supposing that it’s a gaming of the system in order to get some unfair advantage,” Vaughn said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026
"I always prefer the facts to words, or supposing things," said Arteta.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2024
“I and the other photographers on the boat were supposing he was going to make a kick-out, and that’s what he did. So I pushed the button.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2024
And even supposing he somehow managed to cross the desert, there would still be the Cusp to confront: the mountain of white glass said in legend to be the funeral pyre of demons.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions 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.
