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

Greg Rosenstein For much of the past year, Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has been the presumptive top wideout available. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 26 Apr. 2024

Twelve news organizations, including USA TODAY, in an April 14 joint statement called on the presumptive party nominees, Biden and Trump, to publicly commit to general debates before the election. —Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024

With mistrust between the two nations deepening, both President Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump have sought to cast themselves as hard-line negotiators who will stand tough against China’s rise. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2024

Trump has coasted to the presumptive nomination by railing about how the Democrats stole the last election. —Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024

Yet the presumptive prime minister, Keir Starmer, has impressed few people, coming off instead as awkward and rather dull. —Tom Baldwin, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

Meanwhile, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has claimed electric car manufacturing will reduce auto industry jobs, and called for a rollback of the EV-friendly policies enacted during Biden’s term. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has been charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. —Brooke Singman, Fox News, 22 Apr. 2024

The moment underscored a central reality for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. —Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 21 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