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
Word Generation Social Studies - Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome
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Engineering - Introductory
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Guts
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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:
Despite Infantino abandoning his proposal, the FFF said that "Fifa's governance cannot be considered resolved".
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Skubal, like Harper, suggested the mandatory participation proposal would be unnecessary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
A spokeswoman for the company said it hasn’t examined the latest proposal but supports environmental protections and state regulations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Following a proposal from the West African country of Togo, the U.N. has voted to encourage the use of maps that make sense.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
In my confidence in my own resources, I would willingly have taken Herbert’s expenses on myself; but Herbert was proud, and I could make no such proposal to him.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
Wednesday saw a flurry of proposals on Capitol Hill aimed at getting on top of the AI threat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Although worker-friendly proposals usually are ultimately backed by the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The government proposals have been welcomed by organisations and charities calling for tougher measures and technical solutions to stop children from not just seeing, but also capturing and sharing nudity on smartphones.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
At the viewpoint, Olsi got out his phone and pulled up the resort proposals, holding the map against the landscape.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
Jefferson threw up his hands at the sheer stupidity of Adams’s proposals, calling them “the most superlatively ridiculous thing I ever heard of.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
