assumed

adjective as·sumed \ ə-ˈsümd \

|Updated on: 26 Jul 2018

Definition of assumed

1 : not true or real : deliberately pretended or feigned

an assumed cheerfulness

an assumed air of indifference

: false, fictitious

an assumed name

2 : taken for granted : supposed

the assumed reason for his absence

—

assumedly

adverb

- The hotel has seven rentable rooms on the third floor, assumedly for those who need to render themselves supine after an attack on the elaborate fare.
- —Horace Sutton

See assumed defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of assumed from the Web

The agency’s chief historian, Bodo Hechelhammer, told the newspaper that Ms. Burwitz worked as a secretary under an assumed name in the early 1960s.

— washington post, BostonGlobe.com, "Gudrun Burwitz, ever-loyal daughter of Nazi mastermind Heinrich Himmler, dies at 88," 11 July 2018
In the Netherlands, authorities are examining whether two assassinations of Iranian opposition figures—one of whom was living under an assumed name—were carried out by the Iranian government.

— matthew dalton, WSJ, "Four Arrested in Alleged Plot to Bomb Anti-Iran Gathering," 2 July 2018
The agency’s chief historian, Bodo Hechelhammer, told the newspaper that Mrs. Burwitz worked as a secretary under an assumed name in the early 1960s.

— matt schudel, Washington Post, "Gudrun Burwitz, ever-loyal daughter of Nazi mastermind Heinrich Himmler, dies at 88," 30 June 2018
Instead, my body spoke on my behalf, proof positive of my assumed irresponsibility and neglect.

— your fat friend, SELF, "Weight Stigma Kept Me Out Of Doctors’ Offices for Almost a Decade," 26 June 2018
And despite the assumed financial demands of the sport, polo can be more inclusive and affordable thanks to local clubs, which provide equipment, horses and farmland.

— brittany britto, baltimoresun.com, "Saddle up: Maryland Polo Club celebrates 'sport of kings' with weekly matches, lively BritFest," 5 June 2018
Saddam Hussein, then a young army officer and officially only vice-chairman, had more or less assumed power by the early 1970s.

— peter schwartzstein, Smithsonian, "How Saddam and ISIS Killed Iraqi Science," 30 May 2018
The assumed cultural norm doesn’t make much room for us.

— gigi engle, Marie Claire, "Why Can't I Have an Orgasm?," 28 May 2018
In fact, some parents advocate that teens create a separate account under an assumed name for the sillier, less college-application-appropriate parts of teen life.

— cindy dampier, chicagotribune.com, "Is your teen's fake Instagram account keeping you up at night? Here's how to deal.," 17 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'assumed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.