as in theories
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
the widespread assumption that violent entertainment leads to violent behavior in children your argument is faulty because it's based on erroneous assumptions
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Recent Examples of assumptions
At the same time, Maryland has lost approximately 130,000 residents since Moore took office, yet the budget justifies hundreds of millions in housing and community revitalization spending based on population growth assumptions that do not match reality.
—
J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
For both the terminals and the pipeline, the authority hosted a series of follow-up meetings with prospective participants to collect technical feedback, validate market assumptions and refine the documentation supporting the selection process.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 3 Feb. 2026
Despite some assumptions, Levich says every Family Match client also meets their surrogate.
—Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
This is not a technical dispute about modeling assumptions.
—Michelle A. Williams, STAT, 2 Feb. 2026
Union leaders argue that the school system’s impending financial crisis is a mirage created by overly cautious accounting assumptions.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Yet those assumptions have not been tested through a new Traffic Impact and Access Study — the standard tool for evaluating projects of this scale — nor through a consistent analytical framework.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
The trio chose it because its steep, vertical section leads directly to a point that, according to their assumptions, could serve as a viable exit for a jump.
—Outside, 31 Jan. 2026
Adult-use legalization, whether enacted legislatively or approved by voters, may further weaken assumptions that a positive test automatically equals misconduct, especially for non-safety-sensitive roles.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
For both the terminals and the pipeline, the authority hosted a series of follow-up meetings with prospective participants to collect technical feedback, validate market assumptions and refine the documentation supporting the selection process.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 3 Feb. 2026
Despite some assumptions, Levich says every Family Match client also meets their surrogate.
—Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
This is not a technical dispute about modeling assumptions.
—Michelle A. Williams, STAT, 2 Feb. 2026
Union leaders argue that the school system’s impending financial crisis is a mirage created by overly cautious accounting assumptions.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Yet those assumptions have not been tested through a new Traffic Impact and Access Study — the standard tool for evaluating projects of this scale — nor through a consistent analytical framework.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
The trio chose it because its steep, vertical section leads directly to a point that, according to their assumptions, could serve as a viable exit for a jump.
—Outside, 31 Jan. 2026
Adult-use legalization, whether enacted legislatively or approved by voters, may further weaken assumptions that a positive test automatically equals misconduct, especially for non-safety-sensitive roles.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assumptions
Noun
-
Such theories were met with some skepticism by trade researchers at the time, and not all of the predictions have come true.—
Josh Ederington,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
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As the search continues with no suspects or persons of interest, posts across Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook and YouTube have put millions of eyeballs on tips and theories surrounding her disappearance.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The update introduces a unified control plane that ties together silicon, systems, optics, and software across on-premises and cloud environments.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Mike Dvorak returned to play the accordion and strolled the event premises while singing about the Cocoa Crawl.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Eliminating all alternative hypotheses.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Both of these hypotheses appear in preprints posted in the past two weeks, and each has already garnered its critics.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Frederick battled intermittent despair and sought solace in Swedenborgianism and other, stranger beliefs.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Conducted in March 2025 by the research firm Burson, the survey posed a variety of questions to more than 1,800 Jewish and more than 4,100 total respondents about their relationship to Israel and Zionism, as well as about their beliefs about the definition of Zionism.—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
ProPublica, in a 2023 story, reexamined the incident, the legal presumptions, the background of the men and Stingley’s father’s relentless legal campaign to bring the men into court.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
16 Jan. 2026
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The series later won five Emmys, upending presumptions about the kinds of shows people still really want to watch.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
O'Donnell took further issue with her feeling that Hasselbeck didn't defend her against suppositions that O'Donnell was un-American for her opposition to military advances.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
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One of the big suppositions behind the big data center boom is that the most cutting edge AI models will be at least as large, if not larger, than the leading models that exist today.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assumptions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assumptions. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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