supposal: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowFormal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “supposal” mean?
The act of supposing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of supposing; something that is supposed or assumed.
A hypothesis, conjecture, or provisional assumption made for the sake of argument or investigation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Formal, academic, slightly old-fashioned.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both British and American English. 'Assumption', 'hypothesis', or 'premise' are overwhelmingly preferred.
Grammar
How to Use “supposal” in a Sentence
supposal that + clausesupposal of + noun phraseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “supposal” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable - 'supposal' is a noun]
American English
- [Not applicable - 'supposal' is a noun]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable - 'supposal' is a noun]
American English
- [Not applicable - 'supposal' is a noun]
adjective
British English
- [Not applicable - 'supposal' is a noun]
American English
- [Not applicable - 'supposal' is a noun]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Occurs in philosophical, logical, or theoretical writing, but is still rare.
Everyday
Not used in everyday conversation.
Technical
May appear in technical philosophy or logic texts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “supposal”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “supposal”
- Using it in speech or informal writing.
- Confusing it with 'proposal'.
- Overusing it when 'assumption' is perfectly adequate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare. 'Assumption' is the standard, common word.
No, it would sound very unnatural and overly formal. Use 'assumption', 'guess', or 'idea' instead.
They are synonyms, but 'supposition' is significantly more common than the already rare 'supposal'.
It is equally rare in both. There is no regional preference for this word.
The act of supposing.
Supposal is usually formal, academic in register.
Supposal: in British English it is pronounced /səˈpəʊz(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /səˈpoʊz(ə)l/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms use this word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SUPPOSAL' is the noun form of 'SUPPOSE' + '-AL', like 'proposal' is to 'propose'. It's a formal 'supposition'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THINKING IS BUILDING (a supposal is a foundational block for an argument).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'supposal' MOST likely to be found?