propose
Americanverb (used with object)
-
proposes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
proposed,
past participle, past
-
proposing
present participle
-
to offer or suggest (a matter, subject, case, etc.) for consideration, acceptance, or action.
to propose a new method.
- Antonyms:
- withdraw
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to offer (a toast).
-
to suggest.
He proposed that a messenger be sent.
-
to present or nominate (a person) for some position, office, membership, etc.
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to put before oneself as something to be done; design; intend.
-
to present to the mind or attention; state.
-
to propound (a question, riddle, etc.).
verb (used without object)
-
proposes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
proposed,
past participle, past
-
proposing
present participle
-
to make an offer or suggestion, especially of marriage.
-
to form or consider a purpose or design.
verb
-
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to put forward (a plan, motion, etc) for consideration or action
-
(tr) to nominate, as for a position
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(tr) to plan or intend (to do something)
I propose to leave town now
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(tr) to announce the drinking of (a toast) to (the health of someone, etc)
-
to make an offer of marriage (to someone)
Synonym Usage
See intend.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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proposernoun
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misproposeverb
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reproposeverb
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proposableadjective
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unproposableadjective
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unproposingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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proposesimple
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proposessimple
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have proposedperfect
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has proposedperfect
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am proposingprogressive
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are proposingprogressive
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is proposingprogressive
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have been proposingperfect progressive
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has been proposingperfect progressive
Past
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proposedsimple
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had proposedperfect
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was proposingprogressive
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were proposingprogressive
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had been proposingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of propose
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French proposer ( see pro- 1, pose 1), by association with derivatives of Latin prōpositus, past participle of prōpōnere “to set forth;” See propositus
Explanation
The verb propose means "to suggest a plan," like the most well-known thing to propose: marriage. If you propose to your girlfriend, you propose getting married, and you probably give her a ring, too. The word propose comes from the Old French root words pro, meaning "forth" and poser, meaning "put, place." Using propose to refer to an offer of marriage was first recorded in the 1700s but the verb also has other meanings. It can mean to present for consideration or criticism, like proposing a four-day school week or "to nominate someone for an elected office or official post."
Vocabulary lists containing propose
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 3
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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:
The scientists propose that neurons may provide the answer.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Everyone thought Graham was going to propose in Paris.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Bloomberg says GameStop could propose collaborating with eBay in some way other than a merger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
This hypothetical scenario is called Kessler Syndrome, but I propose renaming it Tesla Syndrome, given that Elon Musk’s Starlink has nearly 11,000 satellites in orbit, with eventual plans to launch as many as 42,000.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
And then my parents walk over to propose a celebratory trip to The Varsity.
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
This one is focused on how lonely many of us are despite being constantly connected with everyone in our lives through our phones, and proposes a way to change it.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
Mr. Woolfson’s book, which is subtitled “Authoring Life by Means of Artificial Biological Intelligence,” proposes not the gene-by-gene editing of today’s most ambitious therapies but a more radical rewriting of the human genome.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
On Net Zero he proposes a "Northern Way", which subsidises the transition, retrofits, cutting bills, and building exportable locally owned industry.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
This idea proposes that the evolution of larger human brains occurred alongside changes that made the human skeleton less robust and more physically feminine compared with those of earlier ancestors.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
In fact, in addition to that declaration of confidence, Theo also proposes increasing Vincent's monthly allowance.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
In the immediate aftermath of the repeal of the proposed legislation, this academic postmortem, published in the monthly peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, speculated that the MCCA’s failure was, indeed, partly due to financial reasons.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Lee proposed talks at the weekend to formally end the Korean War and said Tuesday that joint US-South Korean drills showed no "intention to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula".
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Enforcing the proposed regulations could prove more difficult.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
"The enhancements proposed for Bray Studios will not only allow the region to build on its already established and impressive reputation amongst international clients," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
In yesterday’s letter, Khrushchev had proposed removing Soviet missiles from Cuba in exchange for Kennedy’s promise not to invade.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
In 2021, he returned for Season 7 of “Bachelor in Paradise,” proposing to Pitt in the finale.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Hence the appeal of matchmaking agencies like the ones in Guizhou, which are proposing a one-stop, quick solution - or "flash marriages".
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Bloomberg on Monday reported that Cohen is now “considering proposing a partnership or joint venture that would enable eBay to leverage GameStop’s roughly 1,600 U.S. retail locations.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
It decided to leave behind a text file proposing a shared etiquette so both could continue with their hacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Fear of hope, because the instant she understood what he was proposing, Sarai wanted so badly for it to work, and when did she ever get what she wanted?
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.
