presuppose
verb
pre·sup·pose ˌprē-sə-ˈpōz 
presupposed; presupposing; presupposes
transitive verb
1
: to suppose beforehand
2
: to require as an antecedent in logic or fact
presupposition
(ˌ)prē-ˌsə-pə-ˈzi-shən
noun presuppositional
(ˌ)prē-ˌsə-pə-ˈzish-nəl
adjective -ˈzi-shə-nᵊl
Synonyms
- assume
- hypothecate
- hypothesize
- postulate
- premise
- presume
- say
- suppose
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The rule presupposes a need to restrict student access to the library. the book presupposes its readers will already know something about the subject
Recent Examples on the Web All statements by conscious beings presuppose both the laws of logic and the free will of the speaker. 
WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Winning records in the regular season do not presuppose postseason success. Jori Epstein, USA TODAY, 4 May 2022 And, none of them presuppose that the Biden White House and Democrats in the House and Senate will be able to make a deal on the $1.75 trillion(ish) social safety net bill sometime before the end of the year. Chris Cillizza, CNN, 12 Nov. 2021 Reversals like this don’t jibe well with the way most of us are taught to understand our history—through strictly forward-moving narratives that often presuppose an astounding moral ignorance on the part of our forebears. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 24 Aug. 2021 Most philosophical theories regarding responsibility presuppose some other theory on free will. Teddy Mcdarrah, Forbes, 17 May 2021 The Bible describes how the second Passover – a year after the Israelites left Egypt – is celebrated in the wilderness, but seems to presuppose that its future celebration will be in the temple in Jerusalem. Samuel L. Boyd, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2021 Any action taken by a Biden administration would have to presuppose that Democrats gain control of the Senate and retain control of the House, and even then, nothing is guaranteed, said Mark Mazur, director of The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. Nicole Goodkind, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2020 Similarly, the existence of a social order does not presuppose a government giving comprehensive and minute direction to the social order. . . . Cameron Hilditch, National Review, 12 Aug. 2020 See More
WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Winning records in the regular season do not presuppose postseason success. Jori Epstein, USA TODAY, 4 May 2022 And, none of them presuppose that the Biden White House and Democrats in the House and Senate will be able to make a deal on the $1.75 trillion(ish) social safety net bill sometime before the end of the year. Chris Cillizza, CNN, 12 Nov. 2021 Reversals like this don’t jibe well with the way most of us are taught to understand our history—through strictly forward-moving narratives that often presuppose an astounding moral ignorance on the part of our forebears. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 24 Aug. 2021 Most philosophical theories regarding responsibility presuppose some other theory on free will. Teddy Mcdarrah, Forbes, 17 May 2021 The Bible describes how the second Passover – a year after the Israelites left Egypt – is celebrated in the wilderness, but seems to presuppose that its future celebration will be in the temple in Jerusalem. Samuel L. Boyd, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2021 Any action taken by a Biden administration would have to presuppose that Democrats gain control of the Senate and retain control of the House, and even then, nothing is guaranteed, said Mark Mazur, director of The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. Nicole Goodkind, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2020 Similarly, the existence of a social order does not presuppose a government giving comprehensive and minute direction to the social order. . . . Cameron Hilditch, National Review, 12 Aug. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Middle French presupposer, from Medieval Latin praesupponere (perfect indicative praesupposui), from Latin prae- + Medieval Latin supponere to suppose — more at suppose
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
presupposed 1 of 2
adjective
as in presumed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- presumed
- proposed
- assumed
- supposed
- alleged
- unproved
- hypothetical
- unproven
- conjectural
- speculative
- theoretical
- theoretic
- suppositional
- moot
- untested
- conceptual
- academical
- metaphysical
- debatable
- academic
- abstract
- nonempirical
- intellectual
- nonclinical
- nonpractical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- actual
- real
- defined
- practical
- factual
- definite
- demonstrated
- confirmed
- clinical
- distinct
- established
- concrete
- substantiated
- proven
- validated
- empirical
- attested
- tested
- empiric
- authenticated
- verified
- observational
- time-tested
- nontheoretical
- nonspeculative
presupposed
2 of 2verb
as in assumed
to take as true or as a fact without actual proof the book presupposes its readers will already know something about the subject Synonyms & Similar Words
- assumed
- presumed
- said
- believed
- postulated
- supposed
- premised
- hypothesized
- thought
- concluded
- accepted
- guessed
- inferred
- figured
- deduced
- insisted
- dreamed
- imagined
- hypothecated
- suspected
- conjectured
- claimed
- asserted
- affirmed
- declared
- theorized
- conceived
- perceived
- surmised
- contended
- took for granted
- judged
- preconceived
- maintained
- speculated
- swallowed
- credited
- alleged
- fancied
- averred
- professed
- avowed
- reckoned
- gathered
- suspicioned
- dreamt
- avouched
- took
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- doubted
- challenged
- questioned
- disputed
- controverted
- discounted
- denied
- disagreed (with)
- distrusted
- rejected
- discredited
- wondered (about)
- repudiated
- disavowed
- disclaimed
- disbelieved
- refuted
- disproved
- mistrusted
- disowned
- rebutted
- belied
- confuted