presume

verb

pre·​sume pri-ˈzüm 

presumed; presuming

transitive 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

presumed innocent until proved guilty

4

: to take for granted : imply

intransitive verb

1

: to act or proceed presumptuously or on a presumption

2

: to go beyond what is right or proper

presumedly

pri-ˈzü-məd-lē  -ˈzümd-lē 

adverb

presumer noun

Did you know?

The Difference Between Assume and Presume

Assume and presume both mean "to take something for granted" or "to take something as true," but the words differ in the degree of confidence the person assuming or presuming has. Presume is used when someone is making an informed guess based on reasonable evidence. Assume is used when the guess is based on little or no evidence.

Presume functions a little differently in the legal catchphrase "presumed innocent until proven guilty." That sense of presume is separately defined as "to suppose to be true without proof." It is based on the fact that legal systems grant a defendant the presumption of innocence, thereby placing the burden of proof on the prosecution.

Synonyms

• assume
• conjecture
• daresay
• guess
• imagine
• speculate
• suppose
• surmise
• suspect
• suspicion [chiefly dialect]

Examples of presume in a Sentence

“Is she still at work?” “I presume so, since she's not home.”

The court must presume innocence until there is proof of guilt.

Recent Examples on the Web

While the distinct 3-million-year-old population of Yarrow's lizard species is presumed extinct in the Mule Mountains, its distant relatives still exist in other mountainous locations in Arizona and Mexico — though many are also in decline. —David Schechter, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024

Hundreds of engineers, workers and divers have rushed to the scene of what some say could be the most expensive disaster in maritime history, in which six people are presumed to have perished. —Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2024

The latest case – in a person in Texas who had exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected – was mild, officials said, but humans can get severely ill and die from the disease. —Jen Christensen, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024

There are also cattle in New Mexico and Idaho that are presumed to be positive for the disease, officials said. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

Texas health officials reported Monday that an individual who had been in contact with cattle has contracted H5N1 avian flu, only the second case ever recorded in the U.S. The cattle were presumed to be infected with the bird flu, the officials said. —Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024

Those who remained in the cellar were presumed to be too gravely wounded to pose a threat. —Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

Most recently, a dairy worker in Texas was presumed to be infected by sick cattle, according to the CDC. —Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024

On Monday, a person in Texas tested positive for bird flu — also known as the highly pathogenic avian influenza — after coming in contact with dairy cattle presumed to be infected. —Patrick Jarenwattananon, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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 — more at consume

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing presume

• presume on/upon

Kids Definition

presume

verb

pre·​sume pri-ˈzüm 

presumed; presuming

1

: to undertake without permission or good reason : dare

presume to question the authority of a superior

2

: to expect or assume with confidence : feel sure

I presume you'll fly if you do go

3

: to suppose to be true without proof

presume a person innocent until proved guilty

presumable

-ˈzü-mə-bəl

adjective

Legal Definition

presume

transitive verb

pre·​sume pri-ˈzüm 

presumed; presuming

: to suppose to be true without proof or before inquiry : accept as a presumption

must presume the defendant is innocent