presumptive

adjective

pre·​sump·​tive pri-ˈzəm(p)-tiv 

1

: based on probability or presumption

the presumptive nominee/winner

see also heir presumptive

2

: giving grounds for reasonable opinion or belief

A blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent is considered presumptive evidence of drunken driving in Louisiana for those 21 and older.

—Joe Gyan Jr.

He was admitted to the hospital with a presumptive diagnosis of cellulitis.

—Mary Jo Bonner

… health departments in 20 states reported 100 presumptive or confirmed human cases of arboviral disease …

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

3

: being an embryonic precursor with the potential for forming a particular structure or tissue in the normal course of development

presumptive retina

presumptively adverb

Synonyms

• believable
• credible
• creditable
• likely
• plausible
• probable

Examples of presumptive in a Sentence

in that climate of fear, an accusation alone was presumptive evidence of guilt

Recent Examples on the Web

If convicted, the charges could land the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in prison: Many legal experts say a realistic sentence ranges from just probation to as much as four years behind bars. —Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024

Earlier this year, as the Republican Party declared Trump its presumptive nominee and Trump's team took over the RNC, the new leadership of the party insisted that the party committee will not pay any of his legal bills. —Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2024

Trump, who is now the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is required to be in court and does not have the option of skipping any of the proceedings over the next six to eight weeks. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

Trump, the 45th president of the United States who is the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, owns 78.75 million shares of TMTG stock, representing 57.6% of the company’s shares, according to a regulatory filing. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024

Flashing his inimitable combination of self-absorption and policy incoherence, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee helped tank the congressional reauthorization of an essential safeguard against anti-American regimes and foreign terrorists. —The Editors, National Review, 12 Apr. 2024

Recommended Their hope is to sway Representative Johnson, prominent House acolytes of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and Mr. Trump himself. —Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2024

Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and he is poised to take on President Biden again. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024

Lawyers for Trump had cited a 1978 statute known as the Presidential Records Act in demanding that the case, one of four against the presumptive Republican nominee, be tossed out before trial. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing presumptive

• heir presumptive

Medical Definition

presumptive

adjective

pre·​sump·​tive pri-ˈzəm(p)-tiv 

1

: expected to develop in a particular direction under normal conditions

presumptive regions of the blastula

2

: being the embryonic precursor of

presumptive neural tissue

3

: giving grounds for reasonable opinion

a presumptive diagnosis of dengue

presumptive or confirmed cases of communicable disease

Legal Definition

presumptive

adjective

pre·​sump·​tive pri-ˈzəmp-tiv 

1

: based on presumption : presumed to have occurred

a presumptive violation of law

2

: giving grounds for reasonable opinion or belief

presumptively adverb