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PlainSpell

propose

/pɹəˈpoʊz/verb

propose is spelled P-R-O-P-O-S-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 9.8 times per million words in written English, the 7,224th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, propose means “To suggest a plan, course of action, etc” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in propose?

Letters7: P-R-O-P-O-S-E
Syllables2 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing9.8 times per million words; the 7,224th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Rhymes with
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is propose?

Propose appears 9.8 times per million words in written English, the 7,224th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce propose?

  • UK /pɹəˈpəʊz/
  • US /pɹəˈpoʊz/
  • /pɹəˈpoʊz/

Propose has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-propose.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with propose?

The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as propose from its last stressed vowel (/oʊz/):

Spelled with the same letters in another order: opposer.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of propose

  • proposes present, singular, he/she/it
  • proposing participle, present
  • proposed participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does propose mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

verb

  1. 1

    To suggest a plan, course of action, etc.

    I propose going to see a film.

  2. 2

    To ask for a person's hand in marriage.

    He proposed to her last night and she accepted him.

  3. 3

    To intend.

    He proposes to set up his own business.

  4. 4

    obsoleteTo talk; to converse.

  5. 5

    obsoleteTo set forth.

noun

  1. 1

    obsoleteAn objective or aim.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Propose in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchproposer (to suggest a plan or course of action), demander en mariage (to ask for someone's hand in marriage – see…)
Germanvorschlagen (to suggest a plan or course of action), einen Heiratsantrag machen (to ask for someone's hand in marriage – see…), beabsichtigen (to intend)
Portuguesepropor (to suggest a plan or course of action), pedir a mão (to ask for someone's hand in marriage – see…), pretender (to intend)
Spanishproponer (to suggest a plan or course of action), pedir la mano, pedir / proponer matrimonio (to ask for someone's hand in marriage – see…), proponerse (to intend)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does propose come from?

From Middle English proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb), propos (noun), from Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after propose