# put forward

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/put-forward
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to suggest an idea, plan, or person so that others can think about or discuss them.

For teachers: to propose an idea, theory, or candidate for consideration. Transitive; frequently employed in professional or academic contexts to introduce a proposal into a discussion.

## Examples

- She put forward a new plan for the project.
- During the board meeting, the director put forward a proposal to increase the marketing budget for the next quarter.
- The research team put forward several hypotheses to explain the unexpected results of the clinical trial, though none have been definitively proven yet.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He put forward to a suggestion." but "He put forward a suggestion." — The verb is transitive and takes a direct object without the preposition 'to'.

## Usage notes

- The object can be placed after 'forward' or between 'put' and 'forward'.
- Teaching tip: Useful for teaching academic and business English as a more natural-sounding alternative to 'propose' in spoken discussions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.