assumption
C1Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
something accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
the act of taking on power, responsibility, or a role; also, in Christian theology, the reception of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word often implies a degree of risk or potential error, as the accepted idea may be unverified. It can also carry a connotation of presumption or arrogance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. The theological sense (Assumption of Mary) is capitalized in both variants.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in everyday British English; common in academic/legal contexts in both.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
assumption that + clauseassumption about + noun phraseassumption of + noun (role/power)on the assumption that + clauseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the assumption that...”
- “make an assumption”
- “a leap of assumption”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Financial models are built on the assumption of steady market growth.
Academic
The researcher's argument rests on a flawed initial assumption.
Everyday
I made the assumption you'd be home by six, so I didn't cook.
Technical
The calculation's validity depends on the assumption of a spherical particle.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- One should not assume the traffic will be light.
- The contract assumes completion by quarter's end.
American English
- Don't assume everyone has a car.
- The plan assumes full funding from Congress.
adverb
British English
- He assumptively took the lead role.
- (Extremely rare)
American English
- (No common adverbial form directly from 'assumption'; 'presumptuously' is a near-synonym)
adjective
British English
- His assumptive behaviour was criticised.
- (Rare, 'assumptive' is very formal)
American English
- She made an assumptive statement without checking facts.
- (Rare)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My assumption was that the shop would be open.
- It is a bad assumption to think dogs like chocolate.
- We worked on the assumption that he would agree.
- Her assumption about the cost turned out to be wrong.
- The economic forecast is based on the assumption of stable interest rates.
- He challenged the underlying assumptions of the traditional theory.
- The legal case collapsed when its central assumption was disproven.
- His rapid assumption of command impressed both allies and rivals.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'AS-SUMP-tion' – you 'SUMP' (jump) to a conclusion AS if it were true.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWING IS SEEING ('I see your point') vs. ASSUMING IS JUMPING/BUILDING ('Don't jump to conclusions', 'The theory is built on shaky assumptions').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'предположение' (supposition) в значении догадки. 'Assumption' чаще означает принятое без доказательств основание. 'Assumption of power' = 'вступление во власть', а не 'предположение о власти'. Теологический термин 'Успение' переводится как 'Assumption'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'My assumption of him was wrong.' Correct: 'My assumption about him was wrong.'
- Incorrect: 'on assumption that'. Correct: 'on the assumption that'.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase best captures the inherent risk in an 'assumption'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both involve taking something as true without proof. 'Presumption' is stronger, often implying overconfidence or rudeness ('presumptuous'). 'Assumption' is more neutral and widely used in logical, scientific, and everyday contexts.
Rarely. Even 'reasonable assumption' implies a lack of certainty. In contexts like 'assumption of duty', it is neutral, describing an action. The phrase 'safe assumption' is as positive as it gets, meaning a highly probable guess.
It is grammatically possible but stylistically poor due to redundancy (it means 'assume something assumed'). Prefer 'make an assumption' or simply 'assume'.
It denotes an unstated premise that an argument relies upon. Identifying and challenging these assumptions is a key critical thinking skill, as a valid conclusion requires true assumptions.
Collections
Part of a collection
Abstract Thinking
B2 · 49 words · Words for ideas, reasoning and intellectual concepts.
Academic Vocabulary
C1 · 36 words · Formal academic language used in scholarly writing.
Critical Thinking
C1 · 49 words · Vocabulary for structured logical reasoning and analysis.