assumeverb [ T ]
uk/əˈsjuːm/us/əˈsuːm/assume verb [ T ] (ACCEPT)
B2 to accept something to be true without question or proof:
[ + (that) ] I assumed (that) you knew each other because you went to the same school.
Let's assume (that) they're coming and make plans on that basis.
[ + to infinitive ] We can't assume the suspects to be guilty simply because they've decided to remain silent.
We mustn't assume the suspects' guilt.
More examples
- If you haven't heard by Friday, assume I'm not coming.
- She was young and she was wearing student-type clothes so I assumed she was studying here.
- There was a knock at the door. Now Jan knew her mother had promised to visit, so she assumed it was her.
- They were chatting quite amiably on the phone last night so I assumed everything was okay.
- I assumed things had gone well for him as he had a big grin on his face.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Imagining and conceiving
- a reach of the imagination idiom
- blue-sky
- conceivable
- conceive
- conceptualize
- dream
- feel
- fertile
- fertility
- foundation
- I take it idiom
- mind
- picture
- presumption
- put
- put yourself in sb's place/position/shoes idiom
- reckon
- riot
- run riot idiom
- suspicion
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assume verb [ T ] (PRETEND TO HAVE)
to pretend to have a different name or be someone you are not, or to express a feeling falsely:
Moving to a different town, he assumed a false name.
During the investigation, two detectives assumed the identities of antiques dealers.
He assumed a look of indifference but I knew how he felt.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Faking & pretending
- a wolf in sheep's clothing idiom
- affect
- believe
- bluff
- changeling
- charlatan
- come the raw prawn idiom
- feign
- fraud
- go through the motions idiom
- guise
- impostor
- play at sth
- play possum idiom
- play sth out
- play-acting
- pose as sb
- professed
- purport
- quack
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assume verb [ T ] (TAKE CONTROL)
C2 to take or begin to have responsibility or control, sometimes without the right to do so, or to begin to have a characteristic:
The new president assumes office at midnight tonight.
The terrorists assumed control of the plane and forced it to land in the desert.
The issue has assumed considerable political proportions (= has become a big political problem).
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Controlling and being in charge
- aggrandize
- assumption
- authoritative
- balance of power
- balls
- divide
- dominant
- have sb by the balls idiom
- have sb eating out of your hand idiom
- have sb in the palm of your hand idiom
- have sth in hand idiom
- heel
- high-handed
- hook
- pull
- pull rank idiom
- pull the strings idiom
- putty
- regimentation
- rein
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