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

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

Giving up sugar entirely may not be as beneficial as many people assume.

From Science Daily • Jun. 14, 2026

For an artist whose music is built on emotional openness, it would be easy to assume that sharing personal stories comes naturally.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

Adjust his analysis for the current SpaceX market price and conservatively assume a provision for taxes, and Barron’s calculates a net asset value of $185 to $190 per share.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

One of the rules I came to live by during my years of covering global trouble spots is: “Never assume that things can’t get worse.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

What Jefferson had described as “the reign of witches” even began to assume the shape of a political comedy in which the joke was on the Federalists.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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