Assumption
noun
Something accepted as true without proof.
Your argument is based on an assumption, we need more facts.
Often appears as...
- make an assumption
- based on assumptions
noun
The act of taking up a position or office.
The new president's assumption of office will be next week.
Often appears as...
- assumption of power
- assumption of duties
Usage tips
Formal
noun
A principle that is accepted as true for the purpose of argument or understanding.
The assumption was made that the data points are evenly distributed.
Often appears as...
- working assumption
- underlying assumption
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
Something accepted as true without proof.
Your argument is based on an assumption, we need more facts.
Often appears as...
- make an assumption
- based on assumptions
noun
The act of taking up a position or office.
The new president's assumption of office will be next week.
Often appears as...
- assumption of power
- assumption of duties
Usage tips
Formal
noun
A principle that is accepted as true for the purpose of argument or understanding.
The assumption was made that the data points are evenly distributed.
Often appears as...
- working assumption
- underlying assumption
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Evidence Importance
Assumptions lack evidence, so be ready to question or support them further.
Just because he's quiet doesn't mean he's unfriendly; that's an assumption.
Pro Tip 2/3Often Challenged
Assumptions can be the starting point of debates or disagreements.
The assumption that humans are selfish is hotly contested.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Jumping
Avoid making assumptions quickly; they may lead to misunderstandings.
Making the assumption that she was angry led to an unnecessary argument.
Pro Tip 1/3Evidence Importance
Assumptions lack evidence, so be ready to question or support them further.
Just because he's quiet doesn't mean he's unfriendly; that's an assumption.
Pro Tip 2/3Often Challenged
Assumptions can be the starting point of debates or disagreements.
The assumption that humans are selfish is hotly contested.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Jumping
Avoid making assumptions quickly; they may lead to misunderstandings.
Making the assumption that she was angry led to an unnecessary argument.
Pro Tip 1/3Evidence Importance
Assumptions lack evidence, so be ready to question or support them further.
Just because he's quiet doesn't mean he's unfriendly; that's an assumption.
Pro Tip 2/3Often Challenged
Assumptions can be the starting point of debates or disagreements.
The assumption that humans are selfish is hotly contested.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Jumping
Avoid making assumptions quickly; they may lead to misunderstandings.
Making the assumption that she was angry led to an unnecessary argument.
Compare with
beliefconjecturedeductionhypothesisinferencepostulatepremisepresumptionsuppositionsurmise
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Video examples
Why we laugh PIPE Sophie...
So we've got a very interesting behavior about which a lot of our lay assumptions are incorrect, but I'm coming to see that actually there's even more to laughter than it's an important social emotion we should look at, because it turns out people are phenomenally nuanced in terms of how we use laughter. There's a really lovely set of studies coming out
Video examples
Jonathan Foley: The...
double global ag production around the world? Well, we could try to farm more land. This is an analysis we've done, where on the left is where the crops are today, on the right is where they could be based on soils and climate, assuming climate change doesn't disrupt too much of this, which is not a good assumption.
Video examples
How optical illusions...
where edges should get extra attention because things with edges can help you or kill you. Look at that muffin pan again. You know what causes confusion here? Your brain's visual cortex operates on assumptions about the lighting of this image. It expects light to come from a single source, shining down from above.
Video examples
What "Orwellian" really...
which rarely present the most nuanced perspective on the issues. And the way that we use ready-made phrases and responses gleaned from media reports or copied from the Internet makes it easy to get away with not thinking too deeply or questioning your assumptions.
Video examples
Plato’s Allegory of the...
a glimmer of light may punch a hole in your most basic assumptions. Will you break free to struggle towards the light, even if it costs you your friends and family, or stick with comfortable and familiar illusions? Truth or habit? Light or shadow?
Video examples
Gary Haugen: The hidden...
that "most poor people live outside the protection of the law." Now honestly, you and I have just about no idea of what that would mean because we have no first-hand experience of it. Functioning law enforcement for us is just a total assumption.
Video examples
These Divers Search For...
dedicated to finding these slave ships around the world when I see the name of this guide can Stewart so I used to go diving we would get on the boat and the folks on the boat wouldn't buddy up with me my assumption is is because I was
Video examples
How a few scientists...
and they proposed that it was actually these germs that cause diseases, hence the name germ theory. Though most people held onto their assumptions and strongly resisted this theory, its supporters were determined to prove them wrong
Video examples
An eco-modernist...
rest of my life it may be an uncomfortable truth but nuclear holds enormous potential for both the environment and human civilization I know the concerns safety waste and cost but after overcoming my own assumptions
Video examples
The Dangers of Marine...
into the stomach of this this albatross yeah please an albatross assume that anything floating on the ocean surface is edible for millions of years this has been a fair assumption
Video examples
Why we laugh PIPE Sophie...
So we've got a very interesting behavior about which a lot of our lay assumptions are incorrect, but I'm coming to see that actually there's even more to laughter than it's an important social emotion we should look at, because it turns out people are phenomenally nuanced in terms of how we use laughter. There's a really lovely set of studies coming out
Video examples
Jonathan Foley: The...
double global ag production around the world? Well, we could try to farm more land. This is an analysis we've done, where on the left is where the crops are today, on the right is where they could be based on soils and climate, assuming climate change doesn't disrupt too much of this, which is not a good assumption.
Video examples
How optical illusions...
where edges should get extra attention because things with edges can help you or kill you. Look at that muffin pan again. You know what causes confusion here? Your brain's visual cortex operates on assumptions about the lighting of this image. It expects light to come from a single source, shining down from above.
Video examples
What "Orwellian" really...
which rarely present the most nuanced perspective on the issues. And the way that we use ready-made phrases and responses gleaned from media reports or copied from the Internet makes it easy to get away with not thinking too deeply or questioning your assumptions.
Video examples
Plato’s Allegory of the...
a glimmer of light may punch a hole in your most basic assumptions. Will you break free to struggle towards the light, even if it costs you your friends and family, or stick with comfortable and familiar illusions? Truth or habit? Light or shadow?
Video examples
Gary Haugen: The hidden...
that "most poor people live outside the protection of the law." Now honestly, you and I have just about no idea of what that would mean because we have no first-hand experience of it. Functioning law enforcement for us is just a total assumption.
Video examples
These Divers Search For...
dedicated to finding these slave ships around the world when I see the name of this guide can Stewart so I used to go diving we would get on the boat and the folks on the boat wouldn't buddy up with me my assumption is is because I was
Video examples
How a few scientists...
and they proposed that it was actually these germs that cause diseases, hence the name germ theory. Though most people held onto their assumptions and strongly resisted this theory, its supporters were determined to prove them wrong
Video examples
An eco-modernist...
rest of my life it may be an uncomfortable truth but nuclear holds enormous potential for both the environment and human civilization I know the concerns safety waste and cost but after overcoming my own assumptions
Video examples
The Dangers of Marine...
into the stomach of this this albatross yeah please an albatross assume that anything floating on the ocean surface is edible for millions of years this has been a fair assumption
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Katherine Waterston
British Actress
I think there's an assumption when you have a parent in the business that you're given some kind of a cheat sheet at an early age. Some kind of upper hand or some kind of advanced understanding of how the whole thing functions - maybe how to operate within it. I never felt I received that cheat sheet and grew up pretty removed from the business.
Quote examples
John Madden
American Entertainer
We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the quarterback and get those late hits out of there. They even have a stat on television that says 'knockdowns.' Knockdowns means that you knock him down after he throws the ball. The assumption is, if it's legal, we'll make excuses for them.
Quote examples
Jim McKay
American Journalist
I am playing with the assumptions that we have in our everyday life when we are tripped up or fooled and we learn something, that makes things exciting - I am having fun with that stuff, but you have to manage it so it doesn't get too cute, that's what I trying to work toward.
Quote examples
Jack McBrayer
American Actor
I was under the assumption that the first job you get out of college is the job you have for the rest of your life. That's how my parents were; my parents have been teachers for as long as I've known 'em. I was worried that I'd gotten into something that I was going to hate.
Quote examples
Payal Kadakia
American Businesswoman
My assumption was that people are already motivated to go to a fitness class. That's who I am. I was already ready to go out there and get to class. All I needed was a search tool. But it turns out people need more than that, and that's why gym memberships exist.
Quote examples
Frank Knight
American Economist
The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing in the respect described, that it will behave in future situations as it has in past.
Quote examples
Erin Foster
American Writer
There were a lot of assumptions that we were raised a certain way. Our dad was always really clear with us that he is rich and we are not: 'If you want to be rich, you should go do what I did, which is work really hard.
Quote examples
Jacob Rees-Mogg
English Politician
Fundamental protections, the assumption of innocence, trial by jury, and the right to appear before a court have all been sacrificed on the altar of the E.U. superstate.
Quote examples
Orville Wright
American Inventor
If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance.
Quote examples
Mark Parker
American Businessman
Curiosity is life. Assumption is death.
Quote examples
Katherine Waterston
British Actress
I think there's an assumption when you have a parent in the business that you're given some kind of a cheat sheet at an early age. Some kind of upper hand or some kind of advanced understanding of how the whole thing functions - maybe how to operate within it. I never felt I received that cheat sheet and grew up pretty removed from the business.
Quote examples
John Madden
American Entertainer
We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the quarterback and get those late hits out of there. They even have a stat on television that says 'knockdowns.' Knockdowns means that you knock him down after he throws the ball. The assumption is, if it's legal, we'll make excuses for them.
Quote examples
Jim McKay
American Journalist
I am playing with the assumptions that we have in our everyday life when we are tripped up or fooled and we learn something, that makes things exciting - I am having fun with that stuff, but you have to manage it so it doesn't get too cute, that's what I trying to work toward.
Quote examples
Jack McBrayer
American Actor
I was under the assumption that the first job you get out of college is the job you have for the rest of your life. That's how my parents were; my parents have been teachers for as long as I've known 'em. I was worried that I'd gotten into something that I was going to hate.
Quote examples
Payal Kadakia
American Businesswoman
My assumption was that people are already motivated to go to a fitness class. That's who I am. I was already ready to go out there and get to class. All I needed was a search tool. But it turns out people need more than that, and that's why gym memberships exist.
Quote examples
Frank Knight
American Economist
The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing in the respect described, that it will behave in future situations as it has in past.
Quote examples
Erin Foster
American Writer
There were a lot of assumptions that we were raised a certain way. Our dad was always really clear with us that he is rich and we are not: 'If you want to be rich, you should go do what I did, which is work really hard.
Quote examples
Jacob Rees-Mogg
English Politician
Fundamental protections, the assumption of innocence, trial by jury, and the right to appear before a court have all been sacrificed on the altar of the E.U. superstate.
Quote examples
Orville Wright
American Inventor
If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance.
Quote examples
Mark Parker
American Businessman
Curiosity is life. Assumption is death.
Example 1 of 10
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