proposal

American  

[pruh-poh-zuhl] / prəˈpoʊ zəl /

noun

• proposals
  plural

1. the act of offering or suggesting something for acceptance, adoption, or performance.

   Synonyms:

   recommendation

2. a plan or scheme proposed.

   Synonyms:

   design, suggestion

3. an offer or suggestion of marriage.

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proposal British  

/ prəˈpəʊzəl /

noun

1. the act of proposing

2. something proposed, as a plan

3. an offer, esp of marriage

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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

• misproposal
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• proposals
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of proposal

First recorded in 1645–55; propose + -al ²

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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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

proposal proposals

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

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

Tanden can reflexively rattle off the particularities of housing protocols I couldn’t begin to decode; she titters with satisfaction upon recounting the intricacies of a long-discarded Australian cap-and-trade proposal.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

“I forgot that you know Sookie,” I said, looking down at the bearded fisherman standing in the pulpit in Mom’s proposal.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

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

Some members were rumored to have objected to Friedman’s policy proposals in his “ ‘careless’ commentaries in his magazine columns.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The new SEC proposals would allow sponsors to operate these vehicles more flexibly.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

The EU proposals aim to protect EU industry from Chinese competitors but could impact British industry and supply chains.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

There were numerous grant proposals to write, and a piece on MDR-TB in Russia.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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Related Words

• bid
• idea
• motion
• offer
• outline
• overture
• plan
• program
• project
• proposition
• recommendation
• scheme

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