postulated
Assumed without proof
Postulated is the past tense of postulate, meaning to assume or put forward as a basis for reasoning or discussion.
Scientists postulate theories before testing them; philosophers postulate premises before building arguments.
Einstein postulated that the speed of light is constant.
The word carries a formal, academic tone—you propose something as true for the sake of argument, whether or not you've proven it.
Testable proposed explanation
- theoryExplanatory set of principles
- modelRepresentation or paradigm
- frameworkUnderlying support system
- falsifiableCapable of being disproven
empirical · validation · paradigm · evidence · corroboration · phenomena · testable · prediction
Foundation for logical argument
- presuppositionImplicit prior assumption
- suppositionBelief without proof
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- axiomSelf-evident starting principle
proposition · given · tenet · assumption · hypothesis · assertion · stipulation · precondition
Expressed in words
- claimedStated as fact
- assertedStated as fact
- proposedOffered for acceptance
- maintainedKept in condition
argued · suggested · contended · advanced · submitted · put forth · set forth · propounded
hypothesis
Testable proposed explanation
- theoryExplanatory set of principles
- modelRepresentation or paradigm
- frameworkUnderlying support system
falsifiable · empirical · validation · paradigm · evidence · corroboration · phenomena · testable · prediction · experimental
premise
Foundation for logical argument
- presuppositionImplicit prior assumption
- suppositionBelief without proof
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
axiom · proposition · given · tenet · assumption · hypothesis · assertion · stipulation · precondition · starting point
stated
Expressed in words
maintained · argued · suggested · contended · advanced · submitted · put forth · set forth · propounded · offered
hypothesize
Propose a tentative explanation
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- speculateGuess based on incomplete evidence
- theorizeForm explanatory suppositions
propose · surmise · presume · posit · suggest · infer · deduce · extrapolate · reason · suppose
postulatedproven
Established as fact
demonstrated · verified · confirmed · established · substantiated
postulatedrefuted
Proved an argument false
disproven · rejected · denied · contradicted · debunked
postulatedknown
Established as fact
certain · concluded · determined · ascertained · settled
- Koch's postulatesCriteria linking pathogen to disease
postulate, postulation, postulates, postulating, postulations