Presume — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /pri-ˈzüm/ pre·sume

Meaning & Definition of Presume

Presume (verb)

  1. to undertake without leave or clear justification, dare
  2. to expect or assume especially with confidence
  3. to suppose to be true without proof

Presume (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to form an opinion from little or no evidence

    "I presume you'll fly if you do go"

    similar: assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, 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

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

    "we should presume that a person is innocent until proven guilty"

    similar: assume, hypothecate, hypothesize, postulate, premise, 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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Presume

The most common words with a similar meaning to Presume:

Chiefly dialect: suspicion
assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, speculate, suppose, surmise, suspect, hypothecate, hypothesize, postulate, premise, presuppose, say, take for granted

Related Words for Presume

conclude, deduce, gather, infer, theorize, believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon, take, think, accept, credit, swallow, figure, dream, fancy, perceive, preconceive, affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, declare, insist

Near Antonyms of Presume

demonstrate, document, establish, prove, substantiate, validate, ascertain, determine, find out, learn, challenge, controvert, disagree (with), disbelieve, discount, discredit, dispute, distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, wonder (about), deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, reject, repudiate, belie, confute

Word Forms of Presume

Inflections: presumed, presuming

Derived words: presumedly (adverb), presumer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Presume

Middle English, from Late Latin & Anglo-French; Anglo-French presumer, from Late Latin praesumere to dare, from Latin, to anticipate, assume, from prae- + sumere to take consume

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Presume

Words & Phrases Containing Presume

presume on/upon

Frequently Asked Questions about Presume

What does "Presume" mean?

"Presume" means to undertake without leave or clear justification, dare. As a verb, it is defined as: to undertake without leave or clear justification, dare. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Presume"?

Other words for "Presume" include assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, speculate, suppose and surmise. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Presume" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Presume"?

There are 49 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Presume". Common alternatives include assume, conjecture, daresay, guess, imagine, speculate, suppose, surmise, suspect and suspicion.

How do you use "Presume" in a sentence?

Examples of "Presume" in a sentence: "I presume you'll fly if you do go"; "we should presume that a person is innocent until proven guilty".

Is "Presume" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Presume" is a verb.

Is "Presume" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Presume" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Presume"?

"Presume" is pronounced /pri-ˈzüm/ and divided into syllables as pre·sume.

What is the origin of the word "Presume"?

"Presume" comes from Middle English, from Late Latin & Anglo-French; Anglo-French presumer, from Late Latin praesumere to dare, from Latin, to anticipate, assume, from prae- + sumere to take consume. First known use: 14th centuryt.