1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
it's rather presuming of you to expect to be our first choice for the award
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in familiar
showing a lack of proper social reserve or modesty
I thought it presuming of him to think that we would invite him along
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
some presuming waiter thought that it was his business to tell the expectant mother that she shouldn't be having even one glass of wine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in assuming
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
I presume you'll fly if you do go
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in saying
to take as true or as a fact without actual proof
we should presume that a person is innocent until proven guilty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 presuming
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
The risk is in presuming that anything subversive or sensational is also true and meaningful, and that anything conventional is a lie that must be smashed down.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
The letter was apparently unconvincing, and the search began again, with detectives presuming suicide.
—Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
People familiar with the respective positions say a hearing is all but inevitable, presuming Skubal remains with the Tigers.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Crumb defended the work as criticism of those stereotypes, presuming that people familiar with his art would get the point.
—David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
Nicholas Boggs spent decades researching this thoughtful and well-paced biography, consulting archival material and even interviewing, after presuming him dead, a crucial surviving player in Baldwin’s life story.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
That’s presuming a bank would not require a higher interest rate on a 50-year mortgage, due to the longer duration of the loan.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
Its modest following often dismissed those posts as fakes, presuming the quartet staged spooky stuff for clicks.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
Later, when Shell expressed appreciation, Cipriani pitched Star Serenade, initially over the phone — presuming the executive would, at the least, boost its chance for an inside track at a green light.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
The risk is in presuming that anything subversive or sensational is also true and meaningful, and that anything conventional is a lie that must be smashed down.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
The letter was apparently unconvincing, and the search began again, with detectives presuming suicide.
—Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
People familiar with the respective positions say a hearing is all but inevitable, presuming Skubal remains with the Tigers.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Crumb defended the work as criticism of those stereotypes, presuming that people familiar with his art would get the point.
—David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
Nicholas Boggs spent decades researching this thoughtful and well-paced biography, consulting archival material and even interviewing, after presuming him dead, a crucial surviving player in Baldwin’s life story.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
That’s presuming a bank would not require a higher interest rate on a 50-year mortgage, due to the longer duration of the loan.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
Its modest following often dismissed those posts as fakes, presuming the quartet staged spooky stuff for clicks.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presuming
Adjective
-
As the sun and Jupiter clash, you’re cosmically protected, but arrogant behavior won’t get a pass.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fresh off the global success of KPop Demon Hunters, the film’s vocal stars are bringing their fandom full circle with a new collaboration that turns a familiar fast-food run into an immersive experience.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The arguments in Madigan’s case had a familiar ring in a state where the line between legal politics and bribery has always seemed a blurry one.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With busy schedules, sitting down to eat a meal as a family can be tricky and cause feelings of guilt.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Each carried one passenger in the back seat, all of them busy on their phones.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But rather that sometimes, particularly with adult-child conflicts, the adult has to be very intentional about trying their best and assuming the best of the child.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The team went into filming Company Retreat assuming the process would be easier than season one.—
Angelina Mazza,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal is citing senior American negotiators and officials as saying chances of an agreement with Iran by tonight's deadline are slim.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The case was originally set in Wise County but later moved to Tarrant County after defense attorneys argued for a change of venue, saying the defendant wouldn’t receive a fair trial in Wise County.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This approach combines the superior surface properties of tungsten with the structural and economic advantages of other materials.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Why Office 2024 is superior Office 2024 keeps the core apps—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote—but improves performance from older lifetime licenses and adds practical upgrades.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Bateman’s Clark is comfortably semi-famous, semi-smug and also, maybe, a decent guy.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This involved looking around the restaurant and guessing the names of some of the patrons.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The playful breed-guessing challenge has captivated dog lovers, highlighting how diverse mixed-breed dogs can be—and how much personality can hint at ancestry.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presuming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presuming. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
