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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Recent Examples of putative
The Government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this Court.
—
Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
His putative allies are, after all, terrified of harassment and physical violence from the army of released insurrectionists that Trump all but commands himself.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
The announcement came after President Trump's senior Africa advisor, Massad Boulos, traveled to the Congolese capital Kinshasa last week to discuss a putative U.S.-DRC minerals deal.
—Npr's International Desk, NPR, 8 Apr. 2025
But the passage of time had transformed the putative killing field: The once-barren hills were now covered by a towering forest of Douglas firs, planted after the war.
—Malcolm Hillgartner Tanya Pérez Lance Neal, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for putative
Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
His putative allies are, after all, terrified of harassment and physical violence from the army of released insurrectionists that Trump all but commands himself.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
The announcement came after President Trump's senior Africa advisor, Massad Boulos, traveled to the Congolese capital Kinshasa last week to discuss a putative U.S.-DRC minerals deal.
—Npr's International Desk, NPR, 8 Apr. 2025
But the passage of time had transformed the putative killing field: The once-barren hills were now covered by a towering forest of Douglas firs, planted after the war.
—Malcolm Hillgartner Tanya Pérez Lance Neal, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for putative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putative
Adjective
-
When asked where Jean lived, Joseph gave an address that police later identified as Roseau’s, an apparent building on Snyder Ave.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2025
-
This is bad enough, but what really concerns me is the apparent inability of the president and those advising him to consider the secondary or tertiary consequences of their decisions.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are probable.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
-
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and marble-sized hail (0.5 inches) are probable.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Dutch’s mission is rooted in making that bond possible—for more people—by providing affordable, ongoing access to care.—
Sindhya Valloppillil,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Record high temperatures are possible on Monday in Oregon, including the cities of Portland, Eugene and Medford.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
Well before private equity was in the local media game, Gannett was creating firms’ playbooks for them: ruthlessly consolidate, centralize as much as possible, boost shareholder value at all costs— even when the cost was the journalism, the company’s ostensible raison d’être.—
Megan Greenwell,
Rolling Stone,
5 June 2025
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Both films cogently argue that ostensible democracies in the U.S. and elsewhere squash anyone who tries to tell the truth – anyone who insists that 2 + 2 = 4.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
Emilia Pérez’s turnout in particular was a fall from seeming dominance, perhaps precipitated by Gascón’s controversy.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2025
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That night of violence — with its brutality and seeming lack of a motive — has shaken the community.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Lionsgate post-Starz spin-off would be the most obvious choice, without the weight of cable networks on both sides and with a host of still-viable Lionsgate franchises including John Wick, The Hunger Games and Saw.—
Howard Homonoff,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Sending in the National Guard was an obvious military flex, designed to to bait Angelenos while perhaps distracting Americans from Trump’s far greater troubles.—
Mary McNamara,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Putative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putative. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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