assume

Definition of assumenext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb assume contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of assume are affect, counterfeit, feign, pretend, sham, and simulate. While all these words mean "to put on a false or deceptive appearance," assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive.

assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients

When would affect be a good substitute for assume?

The words affect and assume are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling.

affected an interest in art

In what contexts can counterfeit take the place of assume?

In some situations, the words counterfeit and assume are roughly equivalent. However, counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words.

an actor counterfeiting drunkenness

How does the word feign relate to other synonyms for assume?

Feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate.

feigned sickness

When is it sensible to use pretend instead of assume?

While in some cases nearly identical to assume, pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance.

pretended that nothing had happened

When is sham a more appropriate choice than assume?

The words sham and assume can be used in similar contexts, but sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible.

shammed a most unconvincing limp

When might simulate be a better fit than assume?

The synonyms simulate and assume are sometimes interchangeable, but simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something.

cosmetics that simulate a suntan

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of assume The world cannot assume that the justices will want to strike them down in toto again. Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026 Electing a board president, VP, secretary Fort Worth ISD’s new Board of Managers will formally vote Tuesday on who will assume duties as board president, vice president and secretary, according to the district’s meeting agenda. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026 The company has accounted for £15 million ($20 million) of additional costs likely to arise from the conflict, such as fuel and air freight, assuming the disruption lasts for three months. Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026 In its place, the Energy Department will assume the lease in the building. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assume
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assume
Verb
  • Detectives said two girls accepted the ride and told the suspect their destination.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • IDs from other states are not accepted.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The other says that the sky is black, then blue, and always empty.
    Sandra Lim, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In a social media post on Monday morning, Kuwait said a service building at a power generation and water desalination plant were damaged in an attack Sunday evening, killing one worker.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Rita Ora guessed Vanessa Carlton, Ken Jeong guessed Lea Michele and Robin Thicke guessed Michelle Branch.
    Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Because of Sterling’s ability, Harvard-Westlake reached the CIF Southern Section Open Division final — a mountaintop no regional pundit would’ve guessed.
    Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Thus ensnared in a fiction of his making, the narrator takes his phone out and pretends to press Record.
    Giles Harvey, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • And in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Hurt played one of the New York socialites who falls into the web of deceit created by a charismatic young man (Will Smith) pretending to be the son of Sidney Poitier.
    Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Chalker told me that his consulting firm, Global Risk Advisors, had once employed nearly two hundred people, almost all of them former military and intelligence officers.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • His poems employ numbers significant to Dine (Navajo) thought and ways of life.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps most impressive, Flagg, the youngest player in the NBA, quietly has shouldered the burden of almost singlehandedly pulling the Mavericks’ fanbase from their depths of post-Doncic trade despair.
    Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • All of this is done without the artist’s direct involvement, easing the burden on the musician to shoulder promotional responsibilities.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In September 1879, the girl died of viral encephalitis — presumed to have been transmitted by a mosquito — just weeks before her 13th birthday.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Senior European officials fear the economic and political implications of the conflict are likely to prove far worse than initially presumed, according to Mujtaba Rahman, managing director of Europe at Eurasia Group.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The memo also outlined instances where Pujoe had tried to bring a student to a downstate athletic competition and attempted to get students hotel rooms for competitions they were not supposed to attend.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
  • That slice of revenue earned by the volunteers is supposed to go directly to the charity, while the volunteers and leaders of the nonprofits are not supposed to be paid.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Assume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assume. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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