proposition

American  

[prop-uh-zish-uhn] / ˌprɒp əˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

1. the act of offering or suggesting something to be considered, accepted, adopted, or done.

2. a plan or scheme proposed.

3. an offer of terms for a transaction, as in business.

4. a thing, matter, or person considered as something to be dealt with or encountered.

   Keeping diplomatic channels open is a serious proposition.

5. anything stated or affirmed for discussion or illustration.

6. Rhetoric. a statement of the subject of an argument or a discourse, or of the course of action or essential idea to be advocated.

7. Logic. a statement in which something is affirmed or denied, so that it can therefore be significantly characterized as either true or false.

8. Mathematics. a formal statement of either a truth to be demonstrated or an operation to be performed; a theorem or a problem.

9. a proposal of usually illicit sexual relations.

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verb (used with object)

1. to propose sexual relations to.

2. to propose a plan, deal, etc., to.

proposition British  

/ ˌprɒpəˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. a proposal or topic presented for consideration

2. philosophy

   1. the content of a sentence that affirms or denies something and is capable of being true or false

   2. the meaning of such a sentence: I am warm always expresses the same proposition whoever the speaker is Compare statement

3. maths a statement or theorem, usually containing its proof

4. informal a person or matter to be dealt with

   he's a difficult proposition

5. an invitation to engage in sexual intercourse

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verb

1. (tr) to propose a plan, deal, etc, to, esp to engage in sexual intercourse

Related Words

See proposal.

Other Word Forms

• propositional
  adjective
• propositionally
  adverb
• underproposition
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

The District of Columbia teems with nonprofits dedicated to the proposition that one thing or another menaces the citizenry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

That’s an outrageous proposition given the considerable overlap between those two groups in Louisiana.

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026

But he said "Primark continued to make strong progress in re-energising its customer proposition in a difficult clothing market."

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

Uber is violating a clause in the proposition that requires the company to provide an appeals process for drivers who are terminated, the organization said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

If even part of what Van Eck said was true, the idea of one of them dosed with jurda parem was a daunting proposition.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Related Words

• hypothesis
• invitation
• motion
• premise
• proposal
• recommendation