Assume — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Assume (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. 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"

   similar: accept, bear, shoulder, take over, undertake
   related: adopt, embrace, take up, advocate, back, champion, endorse, espouse, stand by, support, uphold, accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, consent, reaccept, reassume
   opposite: disavow, disclaim, disown, repudiate
   near: abjure, recant, renounce, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw, decline, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from), avoid, bypass, detour, abandon, abnegate, forsake, give up, relinquish, surrender, back down, back off, backtrack

2. to take as true or as a fact without actual proof

   "everyone assumed, wrongly, that someone else was bringing dessert"

   similar: hypothecate, hypothesize, postulate, premise, presume, presuppose, say, suppose, take for granted
   related: accept, believe, credit, swallow, conclude, deduce, gather, infer, judge, take, conjecture, figure, guess, reckon (chiefly dialect), surmise, suspect, suspicion (chiefly dialect), think, conceive, dream, fancy, imagine, perceive, preconceive, speculate, theorize, affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, declare, insist, maintain, profess
   near: challenge, controvert, disagree (with), disbelieve, discount, discredit, dispute, distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, wonder (about), deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, reject, repudiate, belie, confute, disprove, rebut, refute

3. 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"

   similar: conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, presume, speculate, suppose, surmise, suspect, suspicion (chiefly dialect)
   related: conclude, deduce, gather, infer, hypothecate, hypothesize, theorize, believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon (chiefly dialect), take, think
   near: demonstrate, document, establish, prove, substantiate, validate, ascertain, determine, find out, learn

4. to present a false appearance of

   "she assumed an air of nonchalance even though she was wildly ecstatic she was going on the date"

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

5. to provide with a paying job

   "assumed as partner by the prestigious law firm"

   similar: employ, engage, fee (chiefly Scottish), hire, lay on (chiefly British), pay, place, recruit, retain, sign (up or on), take on
   related: reemploy, reengage, rehire, apprentice, contract, job, partner, subcontract, enlist, advance, promote, upgrade, keep (on), headhunt, scout
   opposite: ax, can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack
   near: furlough, lay off, lock out