presumptuous
adjective
pre·sump·tu·ous
pri-ˈzəm(p)-chə-wəs 
-chəs,
-shəs
: overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy) : taking liberties
presumptuously
adverb
presumptuousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of presumptuous in a Sentence
To Yale University, he was David Sneed. And some people called him that. Close friends called him Marc. Not wanting to appear presumptuous, I tried not to commit to either, waiting instead for a signal.
—
Peter Beinart, New Republic, 22 Jan. 1996
Professor Stegner mistook me, I fear, for an anti-intellectual, not understanding that I was in fact something far less presumptuous—a near-illiterate, especially compared to the rest of his blue-chip roster.
—Ken Kesey, New York Times Book Review, 31 Dec. 1989
To spy out the shape of God's Heaven was superfluous, presumptuous, and might prove blasphemous. Galileo was no better than a theological Peeping Tom.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
it's a little presumptuous of you to assume that I'm your new best friend just because I invited you along
the presumptuous doctor didn't even bother to explain to me the treatment that I would be receiving
Peter Beinart, New Republic, 22 Jan. 1996
Professor Stegner mistook me, I fear, for an anti-intellectual, not understanding that I was in fact something far less presumptuous—a near-illiterate, especially compared to the rest of his blue-chip roster.
—Ken Kesey, New York Times Book Review, 31 Dec. 1989
To spy out the shape of God's Heaven was superfluous, presumptuous, and might prove blasphemous. Galileo was no better than a theological Peeping Tom.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
it's a little presumptuous of you to assume that I'm your new best friend just because I invited you along
the presumptuous doctor didn't even bother to explain to me the treatment that I would be receiving
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, his request was absurd, incredibly presumptuous.
—Rebecca Curtis, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023
If Augusta's four par 5s become par 4s on DeChambeau's presumptive and presumptuous scorecard, that surely means the third hole — at 350 yards, by far the shortest par 4 on the course — is marked down to a par 3 at Bryson's Mammoth Tee Shot Emporium.
—Paul Newberry, Star Tribune, 13 Nov. 2020
Eternals was pretty presumptuous in its own way, gambling that the MCU could launch a new 10-person team, based on a group of characters who have never been commercially successful in print (and have only occasionally been creatively successful there).
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2023
Maybe that sounds presumptuous.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 17 Jan. 2023
Some saw it as a presumptuous display.
—John Eligon, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2022
Young was not being presumptuous.
—Emily Iannaconi, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2021
But comparisons like this tend to come across as simplistic and presumptuous – sometimes even insulting.
—Andrew Pulrang, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023
In the weeks following his signing with the Boston Red Sox last month, Justin Turner started receiving presumptuous pieces of mail to his Southland home.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2023
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Rebecca Curtis, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023
If Augusta's four par 5s become par 4s on DeChambeau's presumptive and presumptuous scorecard, that surely means the third hole — at 350 yards, by far the shortest par 4 on the course — is marked down to a par 3 at Bryson's Mammoth Tee Shot Emporium.
—Paul Newberry, Star Tribune, 13 Nov. 2020
Eternals was pretty presumptuous in its own way, gambling that the MCU could launch a new 10-person team, based on a group of characters who have never been commercially successful in print (and have only occasionally been creatively successful there).
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2023
Maybe that sounds presumptuous.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 17 Jan. 2023
Some saw it as a presumptuous display.
—John Eligon, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2022
Young was not being presumptuous.
—Emily Iannaconi, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2021
But comparisons like this tend to come across as simplistic and presumptuous – sometimes even insulting.
—Andrew Pulrang, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023
In the weeks following his signing with the Boston Red Sox last month, Justin Turner started receiving presumptuous pieces of mail to his Southland home.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'presumptuous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near presumptuous
Cite this Entry
“Presumptuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presumptuous. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
presumptuous
adjective
pre·sump·tu·ous
pri-ˈzəm(p)-ch(ə-w)əs
: going beyond what is proper
presumptuously
adverb
presumptuousness
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on presumptuous
Nglish: Translation of presumptuous for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of presumptuous for Arabic Speakers
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