Synonyms of assume

assume

verb

ə-ˈsüm 

1

as in to accept

to take to or upon oneself

we promised to assume responsibility for any damage to the flower beds caused by the volleyball game in the backyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

• accept
• shoulder
• bear
• undertake
• embrace
• take over
• adopt
• agree
• advocate
• take up
• endorse
• uphold
• stand by
• acquiesce
• espouse
• support
• consent
• back
• accede
• assent
• champion
• reassume
• reaccept

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disclaim
• refuse
• disavow
• repudiate
• renounce
• withdraw
• reject
• disown
• retract
• avoid
• take back
• recant
• decline
• abjure
• turn down
• refrain (from)
• spurn
• forbear
• abstain (from)
• relinquish
• bypass
• abandon
• forsake
• give up
• surrender
• unsay
• detour
• backtrack
• back down
• back off
• abnegate

2

as in to say

to take as true or as a fact without actual proof

everyone assumed, wrongly, that someone else was bringing dessert

Synonyms & Similar Words

• say
• presume
• believe
• think
• suppose
• guess
• conclude
• hypothesize
• presuppose
• postulate
• figure
• accept
• imagine
• insist
• suspect
• dream
• take for granted
• premise
• infer
• hypothecate
• speculate
• surmise
• deduce
• claim
• declare
• maintain
• judge
• perceive
• swallow
• credit
• conjecture
• assert
• reckon
• contend
• suspicion
• gather
• theorize
• affirm
• conceive
• take
• fancy
• allege
• profess
• aver
• avow
• preconceive
• avouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• doubt
• wonder (about)
• question
• disagree (with)
• challenge
• deny
• dispute
• disbelieve
• discount
• discredit
• reject
• distrust
• controvert
• disclaim
• repudiate
• disavow
• mistrust
• refute
• disprove
• rebut
• disown
• belie
• confute

3

as in to guess

to form an opinion from little or no evidence

as I just assumed it was too late to go out, I didn't think to ask

Synonyms & Similar Words

• guess
• suppose
• presume
• think
• suspect
• imagine
• speculate
• surmise
• believe
• conjecture
• suspicion
• daresay
• conclude
• infer
• expect
• deduce
• hypothesize
• gather
• reckon
• theorize
• judge
• conceive
• hypothecate
• take

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prove
• establish
• demonstrate
• determine
• learn
• ascertain
• find out
• validate
• document
• substantiate

4

as in to pretend

to present a false appearance of

she assumed an air of nonchalance even though she was wildly ecstatic she was going on the date

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pretend
• simulate
• affect
• act
• make believe
• pass (for)
• profess
• feign
• pose
• bluff
• put on
• dissemble
• conceal
• fake
• play
• counterfeit
• forge
• imitate
• sham
• let on
• impersonate
• masquerade
• mask
• disguise
• camouflage
• dissimulate
• playact
• feint
• malinger

5

as in to employ

to provide with a paying job

assumed as partner by the prestigious law firm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• employ
• hire
• recruit
• pay
• engage
• retain
• sign (up or on)
• place
• fee
• lay on
• take on
• enlist
• job
• partner
• promote
• keep (on)
• subcontract
• contract
• rehire
• reemploy
• upgrade
• reengage
• apprentice
• scout
• advance
• headhunt

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• can
• dismiss
• sack
• ax
• discharge
• fire
• lay off
• lock out
• furlough

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

Recent Examples of assume

Peninsula Family Service has been selected by the California Department of Education to assume operations of the Creative Montessori Learning Center in East Palo Alto, effective this month. — Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 5 July 2026

But Fritz is far less mercurial and far more reliable, which counts for more than fans assume when Grand Slams get tight. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 July 2026

The composition of the bar changed dramatically as many Loyalist lawyers departed, others were jailed and younger lawyers assumed responsibilities previously held by members of the colonial establishment. — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Cleaning professional Isabella Flores says that many consumers mistakenly assume that oven cleaner works on all parts of the oven due to the product's name. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026