as in plausible
worthy of being accepted as true or reasonable
in that climate of fear, an accusation alone was presumptive evidence of guilt
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Recent Examples of presumptive
The most widespread advice to pediatricians on how to talk with parents about vaccines is to take a presumptive approach.
—
Peter M. Sandman, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
Until proven otherwise, Newsom is seen by many as the presumptive front-runner for the 2028 Democratic presidential ticket.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
Prior to the new law, only 14 cancers were covered under Iowa’s presumptive health laws, according to the International Association of Firefighters.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
Most damning of all is that her body was found hog-tied in a conspicuously similar fashion as Reynolds’ previous presumptive victim, Bunny Davis.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presumptive
Peter M. Sandman, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
Until proven otherwise, Newsom is seen by many as the presumptive front-runner for the 2028 Democratic presidential ticket.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
Prior to the new law, only 14 cancers were covered under Iowa’s presumptive health laws, according to the International Association of Firefighters.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
Most damning of all is that her body was found hog-tied in a conspicuously similar fashion as Reynolds’ previous presumptive victim, Bunny Davis.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presumptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presumptive
Adjective
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The Thor star imagines all the terrifyingly plausible ways the AI assistant could kill him, before being won over by its offer to book him a massage.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
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Well yeah, but that sort of thing can also be the hallmark of foreign regime change, as has been the case time and again around the world, usually with a straight face and plausible deniability.—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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My research—including an interview with a poultry science professor—led me to the conclusion that sodium phosphate, commonly used to make chickens extra juicy, could be a credible culprit for the soapy profile.—
Li Goldstein,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Feb. 2026
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But that’s that’s what our culture does to credible artists.—
Preezy Brown,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Panthers coach Paul Maurice said after the team’s morning skate on Wednesday that Bennett will return to the lineup for their home game against the Boston Bruins and that Lundell is probable for the game.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
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Decoding refers to how a model selects its output from a range of probable answers.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presumptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presumptive. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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