assuming

American  

[uh-soo-ming] / əˈsu mɪŋ /

adjective

1. taking too much for granted; presumptuous.

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assuming British  

/ əˈsjuːmɪŋ /

adjective

1. expecting too much; presumptuous; arrogant

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conjunction

1. (often foll by that) if it is assumed or taken for granted (that)

   even assuming he understands the problem, he will never take any action

Other Word Forms

• assumingly adverb
• self-assuming adjective

Etymology

Origin of assuming

First recorded in 1595–1605; assume + -ing ²

Explanation

If someone accuses you of being assuming, he or she thinks you are arrogant or that you take too much for granted. If you take on an assuming tone when you ask for something, people are more likely to feel offended than to be generous. A person who is quiet and modest is often described approvingly as being unassuming. That person's conceited cousin, with an inflated opinion of himself and a strong sense of entitlement, is more of an assuming sort. You can also use this word as a conjunction. Assuming we leave at 9:00 a.m. and there is little traffic, we should arrive in the late afternoon.

Example Sentences

Your $400,000 retirement account, assuming a 7% return, would produce about $28,000 a year before tax.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Neurocrine will fund the transaction with cash on hand, and plans to “optimize its capital structure” by assuming a modest amount of pre-payable debt.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

Pimco has shaved off 0.3 to 0.4 percentage point its forecast, assuming the conflict winds down quickly, managing director Tiffany Wilding said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

A small team would be needed to extract the uranium, assuming it could be found in a single location.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Setting up the men on his tiny board, he’d play game after game alone, first assuming the white side and then spinning the board around, with some pieces often tumbling onto the floor.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady