It's presumptuous for humans to assume that our task is to do what only God can do.
Source: tatoeba (1901)
Assume
/əˈsjuːm/
Synonyms for "assume" (414 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (83)
Verb(24 words)
Noun(8 words)
accept at face valueaccept original valueacknowledgingadopt power saving habitsadoptingarrogatingbase the hypothesisbelieve without question
Strong matches (124)
cribdaredaresaydeducedeemderivederive fromdisguisedissembledissimulatedittodivinedodo a bitdo likedondrag downdramatizedrawdraw from
Show 78 more words
draw ondreamdress inechoembarkembark inembark uponemployencroachendeavorengage inenslaveentailenter onenter uponesteemestimateexpectfakefall intofall tofancyfeelfeignfigureforgefour flushfour-flushgaingammongathergetget intoget onget under waygo aboutgo atgo in forgo intogo likego through the motionsgo upongrabgrantguesshavehave a hunchhave an ideahave an impressionhave an inklinghave athave coming inhave the ideahazardhidehinthistrionizehoghokehoke upholdhold asimagineimitateimplicateimplyimportindentinferinfringeinsinuateintimateinvadeinvolvejudgejump a claimlaunch forthlaunch into
Verb(17 words)
Related words (207)
lay aboutlay it on thicklead toletlet belet onlet on likelook upon asmaintainmake a pretensemake a show ofmake as ifmake believemake boldmake freemake free withmake likemake out likemake use ofmask
Show 114 more words
meanmean to saymirrormockmonopolizemount the thronemove intoobtainoccupyopineoveractoverrunpiratepitch intoplagiarizeplayplay a partplay a sceneplay godplay possumplayactplunge intopoint indirectly topositpostulatepredicatepreemptprefigurepremisepreoccupyprepossesspresumepresupposepresurmisepretendpretend toproceedproceed toprofessprovisionally acceptpullpull downput onput on airsreceivereckonreechoreflectregardrepeatreputerequirerequisitionsaysecureseizeseize powerseize the throneset aboutset atset down asset forwardset goingset toshamshouldersimulatesit onslip onsnatchsquat onstealstrikesubjugatesubsumesuggestsupposesurmisesuspecttackletaketake all oftake chargetake commandtake fortake for grantedtake intake ittake it alltake ontake overtake possessiontake possession oftake the helmtake the leadtake the libertytake to betake upthinkthrowtrespasstrowtug the heartstringsturn tounderstandundertakeuseusurpventureventure uponview aswearweenwit
Noun(27 words)
leapingmantelsmantlenorwegian taoversupply riskpoisesposesposingpositionpositspostulatespostureposturespremise the argumentpresumingresumesshouldershoulderingshouldersspeculating
Show 7 more words
Adjective(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: accept, presume, take on, acceded, accedes.
- Sentence evidence is available for assume, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "assume".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "assume"
Keep "assume" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "assume" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "assume", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "assume" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
20 entriesShowing 16 of 20 words.
More specific
8 entriesCollocations
6 entriesassume a premiseassume a roleassume controlassume leadershipassume liabilityassume responsibility
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
22 total sentences available.
We assume that he is honest.
Source: tatoeba (22708)
The question began to assume a new character.
Source: tatoeba (43655)
The problem began to assume an international character.
Source: tatoeba (43676)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "assume"?
Closest matches include accept, presume, take on, acceded, accedes.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "assume"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.