presumably
Americanadverb
adverb
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.
Vocabulary lists containing presumably
Holes
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Copper Sun
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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
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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.
You are both in your 80s and drawing Social Security, pensions and, presumably, income from your investments, so the traditional window for Roth conversions has mostly closed.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
Enough, presumably, that a supermarket’s software could identify me as a woman with firm opinions about legumes.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
And according to the Sussexes' spokesman, Meghan believed an investigation into the allegations was going ahead, presumably at a time when she was on official trips and having to put on a brave face.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
He would presumably object that passengers pay different prices for different benefits; that premium cabins help make the economics work; and that abolishing those distinctions would leave everyone with fewer choices and a worse airline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
The former chairman and CEO of Bear Stearns, and a Wall Street legend, Greenberg still kept an office at the firm and acted as a broker for a handful of presumably special investors.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
