as in apparent
appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be confirmed
the putative reason for her dismissal was poor job performance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of putative
War warnings, policy reversals, the hunt for AI victims, more than one putative $1 trillion private company looming over the public markets – there's plenty going on.
—
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026
For those wearing the putative target on their back, this can surely be agonizing.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
The criteria for these distinctions—between putative immigrant and indelible alien—are not complicated; for above all, The Homeland is a racist project.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
Numerous local landmarks pay homage to the putative outer-space visitor, whose appearance three decades ago is being honored in Varginha this weekend.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for putative
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026
For those wearing the putative target on their back, this can surely be agonizing.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
The criteria for these distinctions—between putative immigrant and indelible alien—are not complicated; for above all, The Homeland is a racist project.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
Numerous local landmarks pay homage to the putative outer-space visitor, whose appearance three decades ago is being honored in Varginha this weekend.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for putative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putative
Adjective
-
It’s been especially apparent this year because the draft is really good.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
As the argument continued, Alexander and his 62-year-old father, in turn, urinated on his neighbor’s yard in apparent retaliation for the dog’s actions, prosecutors say.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond the decrepit hydro plant, the entire dam's spillway is too small to pass a probable maximum flood and upgrades could cost millions.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The most probable candidate for the true author is, however, Shakespeare himself.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The company has raced to buy as much computing power as possible, making $600 billion in spending commitments last year.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Determined to rise to the occasion and work out every possible kink, Daisy sets out to resolve conflicts between the stews and in the galley.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The ostensible fear is that of identity hardening into a cudgel, foreshortening a character’s emotional palette.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The ostensible point of looks-maxxing is to bag hot chicks, but quite clearly the real fun comes from inspiring awe in men.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This seeming craze for doing plays that others have already done in other ways can provide familiarity and a shared vocabulary, a framework for fuller appreciation of the work at hand.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
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Despite some obvious physical scarring and a seeming predilection for contorting her body in creepy ways, Katie seems pretty healthy, or so the Egyptian doctors tell her parents.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Don’t force a quick fix, but don’t ignore what’s obvious.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Likewise the only evidence that Trump might not be crazy is his obvious determination to seem so.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Putative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putative. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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