proposition
Americannoun
-
the act of offering or suggesting something to be considered, accepted, adopted, or done.
-
a plan or scheme proposed.
-
an offer of terms for a transaction, as in business.
-
a thing, matter, or person considered as something to be dealt with or encountered.
Keeping diplomatic channels open is a serious proposition.
-
anything stated or affirmed for discussion or illustration.
-
Rhetoric. a statement of the subject of an argument or a discourse, or of the course of action or essential idea to be advocated.
-
Logic. a statement in which something is affirmed or denied, so that it can therefore be significantly characterized as either true or false.
-
Mathematics. a formal statement of either a truth to be demonstrated or an operation to be performed; a theorem or a problem.
-
a proposal of usually illicit sexual relations.
verb (used with object)
-
to propose sexual relations to.
-
to propose a plan, deal, etc., to.
noun
-
a proposal or topic presented for consideration
-
philosophy
-
the content of a sentence that affirms or denies something and is capable of being true or false
-
the meaning of such a sentence: I am warm always expresses the same proposition whoever the speaker is Compare statement
-
-
maths a statement or theorem, usually containing its proof
-
informal a person or matter to be dealt with
he's a difficult proposition
-
an invitation to engage in sexual intercourse
verb
Synonym Usage
See proposal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has propositionedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have propositionedperfect
-
has been propositioningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is propositioningprogressive 3rd person singular
-
propositioningparticiple
-
propositionssingular 3rd person
-
have been propositioningperfect progressive
-
are propositioningprogressive
-
am propositioningprogressive 1st person singular
Past
-
had propositionedperfect
-
had been propositioningperfect progressive
-
propositionedsimple
-
were propositioningprogressive plural
-
was propositioningprogressive singular
-
propositionedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of proposition
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English proposicio(u)n, from Latin prōpositiōn- (stem of prōpositiō ) “a setting forth.” See propositus, -ion
Explanation
A proposition is a proposed plan of action, a detailed suggestion. You might consider your friend's suggestion to set up a neighborhood snow-shoveling business after the blizzard a winning proposition. The noun proposition means something presented for consideration. In some contexts, that something being offered is sexual. Therefore, don't use the term proposition loosely. If you say that you made a proposition to your teacher, people could misinterpret you. It's safer to stick with suggestion.
Vocabulary lists containing proposition
Power Prefix: pro
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" (1863)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Daniel Bunn, CEO of the Tax Foundation, a low-tax think tank, has a good article in the Orange County Register about the specific flaws in the proposition as it has been written.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
A 2023 study by the New York Department of Taxation and Finance found its state program was “at best a break even proposition and more likely a net cost.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
“We delivered a strong first quarter as our value proposition continued to resonate with members across our clubs and at our gas stations,” said CEO Bob Eddy.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
But July trades for starting pitchers need not be such a scary proposition.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
This was in a lecture room, and I invited him to consider the proposition: ‘There is no hippopotamus in this room at present.’
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
