presume
Americanverb (used with object)
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to take for granted, assume, or suppose.
I presume you're tired after your drive.
- Synonyms:
- presuppose
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Law. to assume as true in the absence of proof to the contrary.
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to undertake with unwarrantable boldness.
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to undertake (to do something) without right or permission.
to presume to speak for another.
verb (used without object)
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to take something for granted; suppose.
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to act or proceed with unwarrantable or impertinent boldness.
- Synonyms:
- overstep
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to go too far in acting unwarrantably or in taking liberties (usually followed by on orupon ).
Do not presume upon his tolerance.
verb
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(when tr, often takes a clause as object) to take (something) for granted; assume
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(when tr, often foll by an infinitive) to take upon oneself (to do something) without warrant or permission; dare
do you presume to copy my work?
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(intr; foll by on or upon) to rely or depend
don't presume on his agreement
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law to take as proved until contrary evidence is produced
Usage
What is the difference between presume and assume? Presume and assume 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.Presume and assume also have a few meanings that don’t overlap. Presume can mean to undertake or do something without permission or justification, as in I don’t presume to speak for the entire class. Assume can mean to take on, adopt, or be endowed with something, as in I don’t want to assume any new responsibilities.Here are examples of presume and assume used correctly in a sentence.Example: I presumed, based on your resume, that you knew how to work with this software.Example: I assumed you knew what you were doing when you volunteered to bake the cake, but apparently I shouldn’t have.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between presume and assume.
Other Word Forms
- presumedly adverb
- presumer noun
- presuming adjective
- presumingly adverb
- unpresumed adjective
Etymology
Origin of presume
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English presumen, from Old French presumer, from Latin praesūmere “to take beforehand” (in Late Latin: “to take for granted, assume, dare”), from prae- pre- + sūmere “to take up” ( consume )
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.
As a result of the initial improvement in organ donor consent rates in Wales, other UK nations followed with their own presumed consent laws.
From BBC
He says local authorities should have an option to voluntarily accommodate a child that would be considered beyond the parent's control, without the presumed need for evidence of blame.
From BBC
He was referring, we presume, to the lack of GitHub postings by some non-governmental analysts such as the Yale Budget Lab or the Tax Foundation.
Carol presumes that everyone else who still has their agency is as set on finding a way to reverse this mass delusion as she is.
From Salon
“Orders are presumed to be lawful,” it added.
Definitions 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.
