assume

verb

as·sume ə-ˈsüm How to pronounce assume (audio)

assumed; assuming

transitive verb

: to take to or upon oneself : undertake

assume responsibility

: to place oneself in

assume a position

: seize, usurp

assume control

: to pretend to have or be : feign

assumed an air of confidence in spite of her nervousness

: to take as granted or true : suppose

I assume he'll be there.

: to take over (the debts of another) as one's own

: put on, don

Mrs. Fairfax assumed her best black satin gown, her gloves, and her gold watch.

Charlotte Brontë

: to take up or in : receive

: to take into partnership, employment, or use

assumability

ə-ˌsü-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce assume (audio)

noun

assumable

ə-ˈsü-mə-bəl How to pronounce assume (audio)

adjective

assumably

ə-ˈsü-mə-blē How to pronounce assume (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

The Difference Between Assume and Presume

Assume and presume both mean "to take something for granted" or "to take something as true," but the words differ in the degree of confidence the person assuming or presuming has. Presume is used when someone is making an informed guess based on reasonable evidence. Assume is used when the guess is based on little or no evidence.

Presume functions a little differently in the legal catchphrase "presumed innocent until proven guilty." That sense of presume is separately defined as "to suppose to be true without proof." It is based on the fact that legal systems grant a defendant the presumption of innocence, thereby placing the burden of proof on the prosecution.

Example Sentences

I assumed he was coming, so I was surprised when he didn't show up. She assumed from his expression that he was confused. We'll be arriving around noon. That's assuming that our flight is on time. The king assumed the throne when he was very young. Under certain conditions, the chemical will assume the appearance of ice.

Recent Examples on the Web Nor is there any reason to assume that the Capitol Police or the Metropolitan Police was immune from the insidious bigotry, or infiltration by white supremacists, that plagued other police departments.

Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2022 At 73, King Charles III is the oldest person to assume the British throne.

Matthew Mulligan, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2022 Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2022 Journalists seem to assume that the platform’s petty arguments are some kind of real-time snapshot of public opinion.

WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Danica Kirka, ajc, 8 Sep. 2022 Charles became the 62nd British monarch to assume the throne.

Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2022 Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Danica Kirka, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 The producer was in negotiations to assume the expansive role encompassing film and television for the comic book brand, but talks broke down in recent days.

Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2022 See More

assume

verb

as in to accept

to take to or upon oneself we promised to assume responsibility for any damage to the flower beds caused by the volleyball game in the backyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

accept
shoulder
bear
undertake
embrace
adopt
agree
advocate
take over
endorse
take up
acquiesce
uphold
espouse
back
stand by
consent
support
accede
assent
reassume
champion
indorse
reaccept

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

disclaim
refuse
disavow
renounce
repudiate
reject
avoid
withdraw
retract
take back
recant
abjure
decline
turn down
spurn
refrain (from)
forbear
relinquish
disown
abandon
bypass
abstain (from)
forsake
surrender
give up
unsay
spurn
detour
backtrack
back down
back off
abnegate

as in to say

to take as true or as a fact without actual proof everyone assumed, wrongly, that someone else was bringing dessert

Synonyms & Similar Words

say
presume
believe
think
suppose
guess
conclude
figure
hypothesize
postulate
presuppose
accept
imagine
insist
premise
suspect
dream
infer
surmise
speculate
claim
deduce
hypothecate
declare
judge
credit
take for granted
conjecture
perceive
assert
reckon
maintain
swallow
contend
theorize
affirm
suspicion
gather
take
conceive
fancy
allege
profess
aver
avow
preconceive
avouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

doubt
wonder (about)
question
deny
disagree (with)
reject
challenge
dispute
discredit
discount
disclaim
controvert
distrust
mistrust
disbelieve
disavow
repudiate
refute
disprove
rebut
belie
disown
confute

as in to guess

to form an opinion from little or no evidence as I just assumed it was too late to go out, I didn't think to ask

Synonyms & Similar Words

guess
suppose
presume
think
suspect
imagine
surmise
believe
speculate
conjecture
daresay
conclude
infer
expect
suspicion
deduce
hypothesize
gather
reckon
theorize
judge
conceive
take
hypothecate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prove
demonstrate
establish
determine
validate
ascertain
substantiate
document
learn
find out

as in to pretend

to present a false appearance of she assumed an air of nonchalance even though she was wildly ecstatic she was going on the date

Synonyms & Similar Words

pretend
simulate
act
affect
make believe
feign
profess
pose
dissemble
bluff
sham
conceal
counterfeit
put on
fake
forge
play
imitate
pass (for)
let on
impersonate
masquerade
dissimulate
mask
disguise
camouflage
playact
feint
malinger

as in to employ

to provide with a paying job assumed as partner by the prestigious law firm

Synonyms & Similar Words

employ
hire
recruit
pay
engage
retain
lay on
fee
place
enlist
take on
sign (up or on)
job
partner
promote
rehire
reemploy
contract
subcontract
upgrade
apprentice
reengage
scout
keep (on)
advance
headhunt

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

can
dismiss
sack
discharge
axe
ax
fire
lay off
lock out
furlough

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of assume are affect, counterfeit, feign, pretend, sham, and simulate. While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive.

assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

The words affect and assume are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling.

affected an interest in art

In some situations, the words counterfeit and assume are roughly equivalent. However, counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words.

an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

Feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate.

feigned sickness

While in some cases nearly identical to assume, pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance.

pretended that nothing had happened

The words sham and assume can be used in similar contexts, but sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible.

shammed a most unconvincing limp

The synonyms simulate and assume are sometimes interchangeable, but simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something.

cosmetics that simulate a suntan

单词	assume
释义	assume verb as·sume ə-ˈsüm assumed; assuming transitive verb 1 a : to take to or upon oneself : undertake assume responsibility b : to place oneself in assume a position 2 : seize, usurp assume control 3 : to pretend to have or be : feign assumed an air of confidence in spite of her nervousness 4 : to take as granted or true : suppose I assume he'll be there. 5 : to take over (the debts of another) as one's own 6 : put on, don Mrs. Fairfax assumed her best black satin gown, her gloves, and her gold watch. Charlotte Brontë 7 a : to take up or in : receive b : to take into partnership, employment, or use assumability ə-ˌsü-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē noun assumable ə-ˈsü-mə-bəl adjective assumably ə-ˈsü-mə-blē adverb Did you know? The Difference Between Assume and Presume Assume and presume both mean "to take something for granted" or "to take something as true," but the words differ in the degree of confidence the person assuming or presuming has. Presume is used when someone is making an informed guess based on reasonable evidence. Assume is used when the guess is based on little or no evidence. Presume functions a little differently in the legal catchphrase "presumed innocent until proven guilty." That sense of presume is separately defined as "to suppose to be true without proof." It is based on the fact that legal systems grant a defendant the presumption of innocence, thereby placing the burden of proof on the prosecution. Synonyms accept bear shoulder take over undertake See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences I assumed he was coming, so I was surprised when he didn't show up. She assumed from his expression that he was confused. We'll be arriving around noon. That's assuming that our flight is on time. The king assumed the throne when he was very young. Under certain conditions, the chemical will assume the appearance of ice. Recent Examples on the Web Nor is there any reason to assume that the Capitol Police or the Metropolitan Police was immune from the insidious bigotry, or infiltration by white supremacists, that plagued other police departments. Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2022 At 73, King Charles III is the oldest person to assume the British throne. Matthew Mulligan, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2022 Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2022 Journalists seem to assume that the platform’s petty arguments are some kind of real-time snapshot of public opinion. WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Danica Kirka, ajc, 8 Sep. 2022 Charles became the 62nd British monarch to assume the throne. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2022 Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Danica Kirka, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 The producer was in negotiations to assume the expansive role encompassing film and television for the comic book brand, but talks broke down in recent days. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, from Latin assumere, from ad- + sumere to take — more at consume First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7a Kids Definition assume verb as·sume ə-ˈsüm assumed; assuming 1 : to begin to take on or perform assume responsibility assumed the presidency 2 : to take or begin to have The problem assumes greater importance now. 3 : to pretend to have or be We both assumed an air of weary worldliness … Richard Peck, A Long Way from Chicago 4 : to accept as true I assume you're right. Legal Definition assume transitive verb as·sume assumed; assuming 1 : to voluntarily take upon oneself assume a risk 2 : to take over (the debts or obligations of another) as one's own assume a mortgage assume verb 1 as in to accept to take to or upon oneself we promised to assume responsibility for any damage to the flower beds caused by the volleyball game in the backyard Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance accept shoulder bear undertake embrace adopt agree advocate take over endorse take up acquiesce uphold espouse back stand by consent support accede assent reassume champion indorse reaccept Antonyms & Near Antonyms disclaim refuse disavow renounce repudiate reject avoid withdraw retract take back recant abjure decline turn down spurn refrain (from) forbear relinquish disown abandon bypass abstain (from) forsake surrender give up unsay spurn detour backtrack back down back off abnegate See More 2 as in to say to take as true or as a fact without actual proof everyone assumed, wrongly, that someone else was bringing dessert Synonyms & Similar Words say presume believe think suppose guess conclude figure hypothesize postulate presuppose accept imagine insist premise suspect dream infer surmise speculate claim deduce hypothecate declare judge credit take for granted conjecture perceive assert reckon maintain swallow contend theorize affirm suspicion gather take conceive fancy allege profess aver avow preconceive avouch Antonyms & Near Antonyms doubt wonder (about) question deny disagree (with) reject challenge dispute discredit discount disclaim controvert distrust mistrust disbelieve disavow repudiate refute disprove rebut belie disown confute See More 3 as in to guess to form an opinion from little or no evidence as I just assumed it was too late to go out, I didn't think to ask Synonyms & Similar Words guess suppose presume think suspect imagine surmise believe speculate conjecture daresay conclude infer expect suspicion deduce hypothesize gather reckon theorize judge conceive take hypothecate Antonyms & Near Antonyms prove demonstrate establish determine validate ascertain substantiate document learn find out See More 4 as in to pretend to present a false appearance of she assumed an air of nonchalance even though she was wildly ecstatic she was going on the date Synonyms & Similar Words pretend simulate act affect make believe feign profess pose dissemble bluff sham conceal counterfeit put on fake forge play imitate pass (for) let on impersonate masquerade dissimulate mask disguise camouflage playact feint malinger 5 as in to employ to provide with a paying job assumed as partner by the prestigious law firm Synonyms & Similar Words employ hire recruit pay engage retain lay on fee place enlist take on sign (up or on) job partner promote rehire reemploy contract subcontract upgrade apprentice reengage scout keep (on) advance headhunt Antonyms & Near Antonyms can dismiss sack discharge axe ax fire lay off lock out furlough See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of assume are affect, counterfeit, feign, pretend, sham, and simulate. While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive. assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients The words affect and assume are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling. affected an interest in art In some situations, the words counterfeit and assume are roughly equivalent. However, counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words. an actor counterfeiting drunkenness Feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate. feigned sickness While in some cases nearly identical to assume, pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance. pretended that nothing had happened The words sham and assume can be used in similar contexts, but sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible. shammed a most unconvincing limp The synonyms simulate and assume are sometimes interchangeable, but simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something. cosmetics that simulate a suntan
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assume

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

Legal Definition

transitive verb

verb

Synonym Chooser