presume, presuppose, postulate, posit, assume

Synonyms: presume, presuppose, postulate, posit, assume

These verbs signify to take something for granted or as being a fact. 


To presume is to suppose that something is reasonable or possible in the absence of proof to the contrary: "I presume you're tired after the long ride" (Edith Wharton).
Presuppose can mean to believe or suppose in advance: It is unrealistic to presuppose a sophisticated knowledge of harmony in a beginning music student.
Postulate and posit denote the assertion of the existence, reality, necessity, or truth of something as the basis for reasoning or argument: "We can see individuals, but we can't seeprovidence; we have to postulate it" (Aldous Huxley).
To assume is to accept something as existing or being true without proof or on inconclusivegrounds: "We must never assume that which is incapable of proof" (G.H. Lewes).