Synonyms

assume

American

[uh-soom] / əˈsum /

verb (used with object)

to take for granted or without proof.

to assume that everyone wants peace.

Synonyms:

posit, postulate, presuppose, suppose
to take upon oneself; undertake.

to assume an obligation.
to take over the duties or responsibilities of.

to assume the office of treasurer.
to take on (a particular character, quality, mode of life, etc.); adopt.

He assumed the style of an aggressive go-getter.
to take on; be invested or endowed with.

The situation assumed a threatening character.
to pretend to have or be; feign.

to assume a humble manner.
to appropriate or arrogate; seize; usurp.

to assume a right to oneself; to assume control.
to take upon oneself (the debts or obligations of another).
Archaic. to take into relation or association; adopt.

verb (used without object)

to take something for granted; presume.

assume British

/ əˈsjuːm /

verb

(may take a clause as object) to take for granted; accept without proof; suppose

to assume that someone is sane
to take upon oneself; undertake or take on or over (a position, responsibility, etc)

to assume office
to pretend to; feign

he assumed indifference, although the news affected him deeply
to take or put on; adopt

the problem assumed gigantic proportions
to appropriate or usurp (power, control, etc); arrogate

the revolutionaries assumed control of the city
Christianity (of God) to take up (the soul of a believer) into heaven

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing assume

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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:

assume assumes assumed assuming

Ms. Eubanks was compelled to assume the role of rescuer, both because she loved him and because there was nobody else to fill the position.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Dr Kevin Collins, senior lecturer in environment and systems at The Open University, says even when autumn rains arrive, people often assume the drought is over.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

“We tend to assume their resilience and capabilities are externally procured when, in fact, much of that power is locally produced,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

“People assume the advisers are working for them all the time,” Garrett says, but the reality is that it’s more like four hours a year.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Only a triple-A-rated corporation could assume such risk, no money down, and no questions asked.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

And that assumes you have the stomach to buy when the headlines are screaming that things are about to get worse.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

“I’m a regular person, like you,” Hal says, gazing directly through the fourth wall at the tiny people he assumes are worshipping him from afar.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

The $1 billion figure assumes the options on some contracts are fully executed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

The new outlook assumes North American comparable sales will now decline 6% to 8% this year, compared with prior guidance of down 2% to 4%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Who is he and what is he that, out of loneliness, he comes into the alien camp and assumes the voice and face of memory and stands among us, accepted and happy at last?

From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury

Researchers have often assumed that differences between male and female immune systems are largely driven by the X and Y sex chromosomes.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

A shareholder cannot tell how long any particular chip is assumed to last.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

To his surprise, catching up to the pig to return it to its owner wasn’t as easy as he assumed, as he went on to document over three videos he posted online.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Many assumed her death was a result of any one of these.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026

So the members of the audience marveled to one another as they rushed to the lobby, for they all assumed it must be intermission.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Your future CFP, if you found one you could trust, could oversee the entire shebang with your accountant, assuming you have one.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

But it will probably take years for Bronin to acquire the credibility on Social Security that Larson possessed, even assuming that he wishes to do so.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

But it offers a warning against assuming that a small fee will have a small effect.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Our friend Arthur Laffer recently ran updated calculations showing how high the cost can be, assuming an asset is held for five years and earns a 5% inflation-adjusted annual return.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

They spoke for a few minutes, but even assuming they had chosen the English language, there was no chance of their being overheard.

From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023