We need to postulate a completely different paradigm to explain all these phenomena.
Source: tatoeba (55289)
Postulate
/ˈpɑst͡ʃələt/
Synonyms for "postulate" (279 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (56)
Noun(12 words)
positassertassumeassumingassumptionassumptionsaxiomaxiomscentral principleclaimcomprehensionconcept in physics
a priori principlea priori truthabsolute factaccepted factactual factadmitted factadvanceaffirmaffirmationapriorismassertassertionassumeassumed positionassumptionavant-proposaveraxiombald factbare fact
Show 20 more words
basisbreakthroughbring beforebring forwardbring upbroachbrocardbrutal factcallcasecategorical propositioncenterchallengecircumstanceclaimcold factcommend to attentionconceded factconceiveconjecture
Verb(4 words)
Strong matches (84)
Noun(12 words)
conjecturesdoctrinesdutch hypothetischfanciesgeometric principleguessing without evidencehypothesishypothesizehypothetical modelimagininglaw of energy conservationnone chosen
coredatadatumdemonstrable factdictatedictumdoctrineelixirempirical factenunciateessenceessentialestablished factexactexordiumfactfact of experiencefirst principlesflowerfocus
Show 43 more words
forewordformulafoundationfront matterfrontispiecefundamentalgistgiven factgolden rulegravamengroundguessguessworkhard facthearthypostasishypothesishypothesis ad hocindisputable factinescapable factinferenceinner essenceinnovationintroduceintroductionkernellaunchlawlay beforelay downleaplemmamajor premisemake a motionmarrowmatter of factmeatminor premisemootmovenaked factnitty grittynot guesswork
Related words (139)
not opinionnubnucleusnuts and boltsoffer a resolutionopen upoverturephilosophemephilosophical propositionpithplainposepositpositionpositive factpostulationpostulatumpreamblepredicatepreface
Show 78 more words
preferprefixprefixturepreliminarypreludepremisepresumepresumptionpresupposalpresupposepresuppositionprincipiumprincipleproemprolegomenaprolegomenonprolepsisprologueproposepropositionpropositional functionpropoundprotasisprovable factput forthput forwardput it toquidquiddityquintessencereasoningrecommendrequirerequisitionrulesalient factsapself-evident factself-evident truthset beforeset forthset of postulatessettled principlesignificant factsimple factsober factsolicitsoulspeculatespiritstartstatementstubborn factstuffsubmitsubstancesuggestsumptionsupposalsupposesupposingsuppositionsurmisethe casethe nitty-grittytheoremthesistruismtruthtruth tabletruth-functiontruth-valueundeniable factuniversal truthversevoluntarywell-known factworking hypothesis
Noun(19 words)
Verb(19 words)
Adjective(2 words)
scientific principletrue statement
Determiner(1 words)
the principles
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: posit, a priori principle, a priori truth, absolute fact, accepted fact.
- Sentence evidence is available for postulate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "postulate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "postulate"
Keep "postulate" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "postulate" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "postulate", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "postulate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesShowing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
8 entriesCollocations
10 entriesEuclid postulatebasic postulategeometric postulateparallel postulatepostulate a hypothesispostulate a rulepostulate a theorypostulate as assumptionpostulate thatunproven postulate
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
8 total sentences available.
Seriously, I postulate that I am, right after my ex-girlfriend leaves my house, going to talk to myself in Lojban.
Source: tatoeba (2097212)
In the field of astronomy, there are researchers who postulate that a long-lived spacefaring civilization would be post-biological. Perhaps, in such a scenario, the biological precursors would be relegated to live just on the home world. For us humans, we question whether our bodies would be too fragile for deep space, and maybe we would leave deep space for our machine children with intellect.
Source: tatoeba (11665512)
In the late morning today, I see my white neighbour Bruce Lawson in front of his yard, his son Wesley's brown puppy Gus being on a leash tied to a boat. Bruce says his Filipina wife Nerria just grabbed the puppy the other night, as the brownie ran away. Wesley and his white girlfriend are still in Peru. Bruce does not know their itinerary. He says, "They just want to be in a different country." Such reminds me that in the future, would different settled worlds—planets and moons—be like different countries? I have read lots of sci-fi that do postulate such. Today is the 15th of February of 2017.
Source: tatoeba (12554605)
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "postulate"?
Closest matches include posit, a priori principle, a priori truth, absolute fact, accepted fact.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "postulate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.