posit

verb

pos·​it ˈpä-zət How to pronounce posit (audio)
posited ˈpä-zə-təd How to pronounce posit (audio)
ˈpäz-təd
 ; positing ˈpä-zə-tiŋ How to pronounce posit (audio)
ˈpäz-tiŋ

transitive verb

1
: to dispose or set firmly : fix
2
: to assume or affirm the existence of : postulate
3
: to propose as an explanation : suggest

Examples of posit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lister had studied Louis Pasteur’s germ theory of disease, which posited that infections are caused by bacteria. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026 The goal was to verify Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which posited that gravity was not a pulling force but actually the warping of spacetime. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026 In their 2013 biography Salinger, David Shields and Shane Salerno posit that Catcher was deeply informed by Salinger’s experience on the front lines. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 The two trials in the 1990s drew some notoriety in part because prosecutors in the first trial posited that Woodward, who is gay, was jealous of Houts’ relationship with his roommate Brent Fulmer. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for posit

Word History

Etymology

Latin positus, past participle of ponere

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of posit was in 1645

Rhymes for posit

See All Rhymes for posit

Browse Nearby Words

posingly
posit
position
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Posit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/posit. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on posit

Nglish: Translation of posit for Spanish Speakers

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