Meaning & use
presuppose
Last updated
to assume something is true or exists beforehand, as a necessary condition for something else.
See it in a sentence
The question 'when did you stop cheating?' presupposes that the person once cheated.
Good teamwork presupposes a certain level of trust among colleagues.
A note on using this word
In linguistics, a presupposition is baked into a statement or question so deeply that even denying the statement doesn't remove it -- which is why 'loaded questions' are often criticized.
Words with a similar meaning
assumeimply
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “presuppose”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.