assume

assume

verb

Definition of ASSUME

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>

Synonyms accept, bear, shoulder, take over, undertake

Related Words adopt, embrace, take up; advocate, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), espouse, stand by, support, uphold; accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, consent; reaccept, reassume

Near Antonyms 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, spurn, surrender; back down, back off, backtrack

Antonyms disavow, disclaim, disown, repudiate

2

to take as true or as a fact without actual proof <everyone assumed, wrongly, that someone else was bringing dessert>

Synonyms hypothecate, hypothesize, postulate, premise, presume, presuppose, say, suppose

Related Words 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

Phrases take for granted

Near Antonyms 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>

Synonyms assume, conjecture, daresay, imagine, presume, speculate, suppose, surmise, suspect, suspicion [chiefly dialect]

Related Words conclude, deduce, gather, infer; hypothecate, hypothesize, theorize; believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], take, think

Near Antonyms 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>

Synonyms act, affect, assume, bluff, counterfeit, dissemble, fake, pass (for), pretend, profess, put on, sham, simulate

Related Words 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>

Synonyms assume, engage, fee [chiefly Scottish], hire, lay on [chiefly British], pay, place, recruit, retain, sign (up or on), take on

Related Words reemploy, reengage, rehire; apprentice, contract, job, partner, subcontract; enlist; advance, promote, upgrade; keep (on); headhunt, scout

Near Antonyms furlough, lay off, lock out

Antonyms ax (or axe), can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack