presumably

American  

[pri-zoo-muh-blee] / prɪˈzu mə bli /

adverb

1. by assuming reasonably; probably.

   Since he is a consistent winner, he is presumably a superior player.

   Synonyms:

   apparently, likely, doubtless

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presumably British  

/ prɪˈzjuːməblɪ /

adverb

1. (sentence modifier) one presumes or supposes that

   presumably he won't see you, if you're leaving tomorrow

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Etymology

Origin of presumably

First recorded in 1640–50; presumable + -ly

Explanation

Presumably you are reading these word blurbs because you're interested in learning some useful words. You can add presumably to any statement that you think is true — it indicates a logical conclusion for which you don't have definite proof. When you add presumably to whatever you're saying, you're giving notice that you think what you're saying is true but telling your listener not to ask for the evidence. You might watch beer commercials and say to yourself, "Presumably advertisers think people will find this commercial amusing and want to run out and buy tubs of this beer." The adverb presumably is related to the nouns presumption and assumption, which are also notions you accept without proof.

Example Sentences

Presumably Musk’s dreamed-of colony on Mars would have other job opportunities, too.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Presumably, both customers and the utility will benefit more from data centers than they did in the past.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Presumably, you’ve already dropped a few thousand bucks on your parents’ burial/cremation/other and memorial, and there are unfortunately more charges to come.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Presumably, the odds of Powell being fired haven’t fallen, given the new investigation into him.

From Barron's • Jan. 13, 2026

Presumably Fran, and not her facelift, is like Alice.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Related Words

• apparently
• doubtless
• probably
• seemingly
• supposedly
• surely