assume

[ uh-soom ]

verb (used with object)

, as·sumed, as·sum·ing.

1. to take for granted or without proof:

   to assume that everyone wants peace.

   Synonyms: presuppose, posit, postulate, suppose

2. to take upon oneself; undertake:

   to assume an obligation.

3. to take over the duties or responsibilities of:

   to assume the office of treasurer.

4. to take on (a particular character, quality, mode of life, etc.); adopt:

   He assumed the style of an aggressive go-getter.

5. to take on; be invested or endowed with:

   The situation assumed a threatening character.

6. to pretend to have or be; feign:

   to assume a humble manner.

7. to appropriate or arrogate; seize; usurp:

   to assume a right to oneself; to assume control.

8. to take upon oneself (the debts or obligations of another).
9. Archaic. to take into relation or association; adopt.

verb (used without object)

, as·sumed, as·sum·ing.

1. to take something for granted; presume.

assume

/ əˈsjuːm /

verb

1. may take a clause as object to take for granted; accept without proof; suppose

   to assume that someone is sane

2. to take upon oneself; undertake or take on or over (a position, responsibility, etc)

   to assume office

3. to pretend to; feign

   he assumed indifference, although the news affected him deeply

4. to take or put on; adopt

   the problem assumed gigantic proportions

5. to appropriate or usurp (power, control, etc); arrogate

   the revolutionaries assumed control of the city

6. Christianity (of God) to take up (the soul of a believer) into heaven

Derived Forms

• asˈsumer, noun
• asˈsumable, adjective

Other Words From

• as·sumer noun
• over·as·sume verb (used with object) overassumed overassuming
• preas·sume verb (used with object) preassumed preassuming
• reas·sume verb (used with object) reassumed reassuming

Word History and Origins

Origin of assume¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (from Anglo-French assumer ), from Latin assūmere “to take to, adopt,” equivalent to as- “toward” + sūmere “to take up”; as-, consume

Word History and Origins

Origin of assume¹

C15: from Latin assūmere to take up, from sūmere to take up, from sub- + emere to take

Synonym Study

See pretend.

Example Sentences

When our elected representatives assume their respective offices, they take an oath to “protect and defend the Constitution.”

From The Daily Beast

Nor should we ever assume that weather alone, however extreme, should be fatal to a commercial flight.

From The Daily Beast

Campaigns like opechatesgays.com assume that LGBT people are an interest group with only one interest: their own.

From The Daily Beast

It occurs to me that Mount must assume that Hitchcock has read it--after all, it came from him.

From The Daily Beast

Now that I am free, I have Medicaid and doctors no longer assume I am malingering.

From The Daily Beast

Many adults assume that a child can look at a landscape as they look at it, taking in the whole picturesque effect.

From Project Gutenberg

It will be found that as a whole they assume a flat position, and are very easily handled.

From Project Gutenberg

He was told that a son must not play in his father's presence, nor assume free or easy posture before him.

From Project Gutenberg

When people argue in this strain, I immediately assume the offensive.

From Project Gutenberg

We may fairly assume the presence here of one or two, if not more, assistants, besides a pupil or improver.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accept
• conclude
• consider
• estimate
• expect
• guess
• infer
• presume
• speculate
• suspect
• think
• understand