assume
Americanverb (used with object)
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assumes,
present (3rd person singular)
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assumed,
past participle, past
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assuming
present participle
-
to take for granted or without proof.
to assume that everyone wants peace.
- Synonyms:
- posit, postulate, presuppose, suppose
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to take upon oneself; undertake.
to assume an obligation.
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to take over the duties or responsibilities of.
to assume the office of treasurer.
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to take on (a particular character, quality, mode of life, etc.); adopt.
He assumed the style of an aggressive go-getter.
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to take on; be invested or endowed with.
The situation assumed a threatening character.
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to pretend to have or be; feign.
to assume a humble manner.
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to appropriate or arrogate; seize; usurp.
to assume a right to oneself; to assume control.
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to take upon oneself (the debts or obligations of another).
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Archaic. to take into relation or association; adopt.
verb (used without object)
-
assumes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
assumed,
past participle, past
-
assuming
present participle
verb
-
(may take a clause as object) to take for granted; accept without proof; suppose
to assume that someone is sane
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to take upon oneself; undertake or take on or over (a position, responsibility, etc)
to assume office
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to pretend to; feign
he assumed indifference, although the news affected him deeply
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to take or put on; adopt
the problem assumed gigantic proportions
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to appropriate or usurp (power, control, etc); arrogate
the revolutionaries assumed control of the city
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Christianity (of God) to take up (the soul of a believer) into heaven
Usage
What's the difference between assume and presume? Assume and presume have very similar meanings—they both mean to suppose that something is true without being able to confirm it. Assume, however, usually implies that the conclusion reached by the person doing the assuming is not based on much. Presume, on the other hand, often implies that the conclusion is based on something a bit stronger, such as some evidence or past situations in which the same thing happened. For example, you might presume that someone will be attending a meeting because they always attend and you have no reason to think they won’t be there. The word assume could also be used in this scenario, but it’s most likely to be used in situations in which there was less of a reason to have come to a certain conclusion. For example, you might assume something about someone you’ve just met based only on how they look (which is never a good idea). A good way to remember this difference in how the two words are used is that the prefix pre- in presume means “before”—when you presume things, you’re often basing that presumption on something that has happened before. As for assume, well, we’ll just assume you know a good way of remembering how it’s used. Assume and presume also have a few meanings that don’t overlap. Assume can mean to take on, adopt, or be endowed with something, as in I don’t want to assume any new responsibilities. Presume can mean to undertake or do something without permission or justification, as in I don’t presume to speak for the entire class. Here are examples of assume and presume used correctly in a sentence. Example: I assumed you knew what you were doing when you volunteered to bake the cake, but apparently I shouldn’t have. Example: I presumed, based on your resume, that you knew how to work with this software. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between assume and presume.
Synonym Usage
See pretend.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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assumernoun
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overassumeverb (used with object)
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preassumeverb (used with object)
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reassumeverb (used with object)
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assumableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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assumesimple
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assumessimple
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have assumedperfect
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has assumedperfect
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am assumingprogressive
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are assumingprogressive
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is assumingprogressive
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have been assumingperfect progressive
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has been assumingperfect progressive
Past
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assumedsimple
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had assumedperfect
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was assumingprogressive
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were assumingprogressive
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had been assumingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of assume
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”; see as-, consume
Explanation
Assume isn't only used to mean "accept as truth without checking"; it also means "take on the form of." It might be safer if you don't assume that the vampire standing in front of you isn't merely a person assuming that form. Assume always has the sense of taking on something. It may be the belief in the appearance of truth: Your mother probably assumes you do your homework right after school. It may be another form or identity: Superman assumes the identity of a city reporter. Or, it might be a physical space: If you get nervous while driving, your dad might assume control of the car.
Vocabulary lists containing assume
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 1-10
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
All of it boils down to simple questions Gibney poses at the film’s outset: How could Musk assume so much power, and why have we given it to him?
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
When calculating total sea ice extent, scientists assume this region is covered by ice.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
If Yi is right about the numbers, a smaller population than officially reported would mean a smaller consumer base than policymakers assume to power the shift.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
But I wouldn’t assume that being in your 60s automatically means you should avoid risk altogether, but what is the role this $350,000 is meant to play in the rest of your retirement plan?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
“Don’t assume the worst,” Velia said as she poked her head through the doors.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
She assumes he probably has a rough idea, but says neither has ever felt the need to ask.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The target assumes a multiple of about 19 times estimated earnings per share for fiscal 2027, which ends in August.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
McKinney acknowledged his approach assumes the city and county can increase available shelter space, but hopes to use his office to pressure local officials into expanding available services.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The analyst assumes coverage with an equal-weight rating and a $9.50 price target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
The truth is, in the real world there’s no such thing as a Persian flaw, because that assumes you could have a thing that has only one thing wrong with it.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
The latter assumed its final hydra-esque form this month, when Paramount Skydance closed its acquisition of Warner Bros.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
By comparison, Air Canada’s internal guidance assumed fuel would average C$1.38 a liter in 3Q and C$1.29 in 4Q.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
She’s part of the fabled eastern San Fernando Valley Latino political machine, another group of former gatecrashes who assumed the trappings and stylings of the old guard once they assumed power.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Because stars and their surrounding disks originate from the same cloud of material, scientists have long assumed that they contain similar proportions of rock-forming elements.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
He assumed it was my grief that had struck me silent.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
It’s also close to where I live so that’s convenient and, assuming they’re open, you can go have a drink or food at Musso and Frank after, which is perfect.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
British Athletics doctors ran tests that gave no answers, so she carried on, assuming it was lingering glandular fever that would eventually pass.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Rather than assuming that one diagnosis corresponds to one underlying pattern of brain activity, the findings suggest that depression can involve markedly different biological changes, sometimes even in opposite directions.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2026
The WTO estimates that overseas sales from the region will tumble by 17.2% before rebounding by 23.3% next year, assuming the conflict does not extend through 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
I felt so naïve for assuming I’d get the chance to work with Bright!
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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