assumption

[ uh-suhmp-shuhn ]

noun

1. something taken for granted; a supposition:

   a correct assumption.

   Synonyms: theory, postulate, guess, conjecture, hypothesis, presupposition

2. the act of taking for granted or supposing.

   Synonyms: presupposition, presumption

3. the act of taking to or upon oneself.

   Synonyms: acceptance

4. the act of taking possession of something:

   the assumption of power.

   Synonyms: usurpation, appropriation, seizure

5. arrogance; presumption.

   Synonyms: gall, forwardness, effrontery

6. the taking over of another's debts or obligations.
7. Ecclesiastical.
   1. (often initial capital letter) the bodily taking up into heaven of the Virgin Mary.
   2. (initial capital letter) a feast commemorating this, celebrated on August 15.
8. Logic. the minor premise of a syllogism.

Assumption

¹

/ əˈsʌmpʃən /

noun

1. the taking up of the Virgin Mary (body and soul) into heaven when her earthly life was ended
2. the feast commemorating this, celebrated by Roman Catholics on Aug 15

assumption

²

/ əˈsʌmpʃən /

noun

1. the act of taking something for granted or something that is taken for granted
2. an assuming of power or possession of something
3. arrogance; presumption
4. See axiom
   logic a statement that is used as the premise of a particular argument but may not be otherwise accepted Compare axiom

Derived Forms

• asˈsumptive, adjective
• asˈsumptively, adverb

Other Words From

• misas·sumption noun
• nonas·sumption noun
• over·as·sumption noun
• preas·sumption noun
• reas·sumption noun
• self-as·sumption noun
• super·as·sumption noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of assumption¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English assumpcioun, assompcioun, assumsion, from Latin assūmptiōn- (stem of assūmptiō ), equivalent to assūmpt(us) “taken up” (past participle of assūmere ) + -iōn- noun suffix; assume, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of assumption¹

C13: from Latin assūmptiō a taking up, from assūmere to assume

Example Sentences

Administration officials have told states to be ready to distribute a vaccine or vaccines as early as November on the assumption that one or more would be approved by the Food and Drug Administration by year’s end or early next year.

From Washington Post

Biden’s advisers have prioritized planning for vaccine distribution on the assumption that one or more vaccines would be authorized, or close to approval, by early next year.

From Washington Post

If the shifts among women and older voters seen in the Post-ABC poll reflect an actual shift in the electorate — a fair assumption based on a wide range of other state and national polls — that seems very difficult to do.

From Washington Post

The IOC’s understanding of risk, he maintained, was based on an assumption of “slow randomness” rather than the “extreme randomness” that the Oxford researchers believe governs the financial risks of hosting the games.

From Ozy

These conclusions are largely based on unfounded assumptions – rather than actual detailed inspections, physical analysis or testing of any of the building systems.

From Voice of San Diego

The Samaritan guidelines are written around the assumption that suicide is a purely irrational act, an act spurred by illness.

From The Daily Beast

“It was just another assumption based on a paradigm that marginalizes non-heterosexual people,” he writes.

From The Daily Beast

It is a reasonable assumption, considering his roots in the Republican Party, in the Marines, and his proud Scots-Irish roots.

From The Daily Beast

The way I film is based on the assumption that the audience is as smart and dumb as I am.

From The Daily Beast

And that appears to have been their operating assumption when the 43 student teachers went missing.

From The Daily Beast

Oddly enough this assumption—the most warrantable of the lot—was the earliest to fall under disrepute.

From Project Gutenberg

Hilda's assumption that the ageing woman had telegraphed for her on inadequate grounds had proved to be quite wrong.

From Project Gutenberg

Remember that you asked me to answer on the assumption that you had adequate forces at your disposal, and I did so.

From Project Gutenberg

Baroudi accepted all these attentions with a magnificent indifference that had in it nothing of assumption.

From Project Gutenberg

The application of this text to the legend of the Assumption is obvious, and occupied the first division of the discourse.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acceptance
• belief
• expectation
• guess
• hunch
• hypothesis
• inference
• premise
• presumption
• supposition
• suspicion
• theory