1. To take something for granted as an assumption underlying a statement or line of reasoning.
2. To require something as a prior condition for possibility or operation.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- presuppose agreement
- presuppose a fact
On the page
The question presupposed agreement on the very issue the participants disputed.
The explanation presupposes a fact that the surviving evidence does not establish.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- presuppose
- Past tense
- presupposed
- Past participle
- presupposed
- Present participle
- presupposing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- presuppose
- Present continuous
- am/is/are presupposing
- Present perfect
- have/has presupposed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been presupposing
- Past
- presupposed
- Past continuous
- was/were presupposing
- Past perfect
- had presupposed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been presupposing
- Future
- will presuppose
- Future continuous
- will be presupposing
- Future perfect
- will have presupposed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been presupposing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: analysis / argumentation / evidence. Forms: presuppose; presupposes; presupposed; presupposed; presupposing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: evidence assessment, qualification, argument critique, assumption analysis. Disciplines: argumentation, logic, research interpretation, formal writing. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: presupposes.
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