assume

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /əˈsjuːm/
• (US) (Canada) IPA ^(key): /əˈsuːm/

• Audio (UK)

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• Audio (US)

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Verb

Plain form assume

Third-person singular assumes

Past tense assumed

Past participle assumed

Present participle assuming

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you assume something, you think or believe something without having enough information to know that it's true.
   • Synonyms: think, believe, guess, imagine, postulate and posit

   Oh, hello. I assume you're the new student, are you?

   If I saw a man dressed all in black, holding a gun, and walking toward me, I would assume that the man is really a dangerous guy and I would run away from him.

   I saw your car in the garage, so I assumed you were at home.

2. (transitive) If you assume a role of office, you take on a new position that has more power or responsibility.

Related words

• assumption
• assuming