Hammett depicts it as starting as a scam, although the putative leader begins to believe in his own fraudulent claims.

Mr. Zavgayev, the putative leader sent by Moscow, said he was well aware that hundreds of tons of heating fuel had been stolen in the last few months.

Their putative leader was Morrisroe.

Even UN officials are underwhelmed by the low-profile South Korean diplomat who took over as putative leader of humanity 18 months ago.

For some reason, readers have gleefully seized upon misspeakings and misquotations by our present and putative leaders and forwarded them to www.onlanguage@nytimes.com.

Jason remains the putative leader of the Galaxy Quest crew members as they travel to conventions and strip mall dedications.

He is the putative leader (his rank goes up and down) of the Bridgeburners, an elite unit of soldiers in the Malazan Empire.

In "Europe," Flora Lewis has no interest in the Continent's putative political leaders, though they are mentioned.

The putative leader of the Iconian people appeared in a transporter bay, on a ship he presumed to be the Enterprise.