Meaning & use
proposal
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Meanings
nouncountable
A plan or idea set out for other people to consider and decide on, often written down in detail.
Grammar: Usually takes a following to-infinitive or for: a proposal to build a bridge, a proposal for a new park.
Patterns
- a proposal for something
- a proposal to do something
- a proposal that someone do something
The council will vote on the proposal to widen the main road next month.
Her research proposal was approved after two rounds of revisions.
We sent the client a proposal outlining the schedule and the price.
nouncountable
An offer or request made to someone to marry you.
Grammar: Often used with make, accept or turn down: he made a proposal on the beach.
Patterns
- a proposal of marriage
- accept a proposal
- turn down a proposal
His proposal came as a complete surprise, right in the middle of dinner.
She accepted the proposal without needing time to think.
The couple kept the proposal secret until the whole family had arrived.
Word forms
| plural | proposals |
|---|
Common combinations
- submit a proposal
- Applicants must submit a proposal before the end of the month.
- put forward a proposal
- The union put forward a proposal to shorten the working week.
- reject a proposal
- The board rejected the proposal because it was too costly.
- a business proposal
- He pitched a business proposal to three investors.
- a marriage proposal
- Her marriage proposal was filmed by a friend hiding behind a tree.
- welcome a proposal
- Residents welcomed the proposal for a new bus route.
Synonyms and how they differ
- suggestion
- A suggestion is usually shorter and less formal, whereas a proposal tends to be developed and presented for a decision.
- plan
- A plan describes what will be done, while a proposal is a plan offered for someone else to approve or refuse.
- offer
- An offer commits the speaker to giving something, while a proposal only invites the other side to consider an idea.
- motion
- A motion is a proposal formally put to a meeting for a vote, so it is narrower and more procedural.
Word family
- propose verb
- to put forward a plan or idea, or to ask someone to marry you
- proposer noun
- a person who puts forward a plan or motion
- proposed adjective
- suggested but not yet decided or carried out
- proposition noun
- a statement or offer put forward for consideration
Commonly confused: proposal or purpose? proposal or proposition?
proposal vs purpose
A purpose is the reason something exists or is done, whereas a proposal is a plan put forward for approval.
proposal vs proposition
A proposition is a statement or a sometimes informal offer, while a proposal is a more complete plan for a decision.
Practice
The team spent weeks writing a detailed ___ asking the foundation to fund their project.
Choose one answer.
A proposal is a plan presented for approval, which fits a document asking for funding. A purpose is a reason, not a document, and a promise does not ask anyone to decide.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “proposal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.