Postulate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈpäs-chə-ˌlāt/ (verb) /ˈpäs-chə-lət/ (noun) pos·tu·late

Meaning & Definition of Postulate

Postulate (verb)

  1. demand, claim
  2. to assume or claim as true, existent, or necessary, depend upon or start from the postulate of
  3. to assume as a postulate or axiom (as in logic or mathematics)

Postulate (noun)

  1. a hypothesis advanced as an essential presupposition, condition, or premise of a train of reasoning
  2. axiom

Postulate (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning

    "one of the postulates that the true agnostic rejects is the assumption that it is even possible for us to know whether God exists"

    similar: assumption, given, hypothetical, if, premise, presumption, presupposition, supposition
    related: hypothesis, proposition, theory, thesis, axiom, truism, verity, belief, canon, doctrine, dogma, gospel, law, precept, principle, rule, standard, tenet, basis, foundation, ground, conclusion, deduction, inference, affirmation, assertion, avouchment, declaration, dictum, ipse dixit

Postulate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to take as true or as a fact without actual proof

    "postulates that all people are born with certain rights that can never be taken away from them"

    similar: assume, hypothecate, hypothesize, premise, presume, presuppose, say, suppose, take for granted
    related: accept, believe, credit, swallow, conclude, deduce, gather, infer, judge, take, conjecture, figure, guess, reckon (chiefly dialect), surmise, suspect, suspicion (chiefly dialect), think, conceive, dream, fancy, imagine, perceive, preconceive, speculate, theorize, affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, declare, insist, maintain, profess
    near: challenge, controvert, disagree (with), disbelieve, discount, discredit, dispute, distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, wonder (about), deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, reject, repudiate, belie, confute, disprove, rebut, refute

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Postulate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Postulate:

assumption, given, hypothetical, if, premise, presumption, presupposition, supposition, assume, hypothecate, hypothesize, presume, presuppose, say, suppose, take for granted

Related Words for Postulate

hypothesis, proposition, theory, thesis, axiom, truism, verity, belief, canon, doctrine, dogma, gospel, law, precept, principle, rule, standard, tenet, basis, foundation, ground, conclusion, deduction, inference, affirmation, assertion, avouchment, declaration, dictum, ipse dixit

Near Antonyms of Postulate

challenge, controvert, disagree (with), disbelieve, discount, discredit, dispute, distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, wonder (about), deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, reject, repudiate, belie, confute, disprove, rebut, refute

Word Forms of Postulate

Inflections: postulated, postulating

Derived words: postulation (noun), postulational (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Postulate

Latin postulatus, past participle of postulare; akin to Latin poscere to ask, Old High German forscōn to search, Sanskrit pṛcchati he asks pray

First known use: 1605

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Postulate

  • Topics: Science & Research

Frequently Asked Questions about Postulate

What does "Postulate" mean?

"Postulate" means demand, claim. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: demand, claim. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Postulate"?

Other words for "Postulate" include assumption, given, hypothetical, if, premise, presumption, presupposition and supposition. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Postulate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Postulate"?

There are 84 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Postulate". Common alternatives include assumption, given, hypothetical, if, premise, presumption, presupposition, supposition, assume and hypothecate.

How do you use "Postulate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Postulate" in a sentence: "one of the postulates that the true agnostic rejects is the assumption that it is even possible for us to know whether God exists"; "postulates that all people are born with certain rights that can never be taken away from them".

Is "Postulate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Postulate" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Postulate"?

"Postulate" is pronounced /ˈpäs-chə-ˌlāt/ as a verb and /ˈpäs-chə-lət/ as a noun and divided into syllables as pos·tu·late.

What is the origin of the word "Postulate"?

"Postulate" comes from Latin postulatus, past participle of postulare; akin to Latin poscere to ask, Old High German forscōn to search, Sanskrit pṛcchati he asks pray. First known use: 1605.

What is another word for "Postulate" meaning "something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning"?

When "Postulate" (noun) means something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning, synonyms include assumption, given, hypothetical, if, premise and presumption.