assume

[əˈsjuːm]

/[əˈsjuːm]/ verb

The verdict

“assume” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - annehmen, voraussetzen, unterstellen

Corpus desk

Index DE-assume · assume · German

assume · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for assume
PropertyValue
Headwordassume
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[əˈsjuːm]
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „assume“ im Deutschen

assumeliegt außerhalb der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Wörter, im Langschwanz technischer, archaischer oder seltener Formen, genau dort, wo Schreibzweifeln zuschlagen.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

assume is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed [əˈsjuːm]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for assume in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is assume, spelled A-S-S-U-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    annehmen, voraussetzen, unterstellen
  2. 2
    übernehmen (eine Schuld, ein Amt, eine Pflicht), auf sich nehmen (eine Gefahr)
  3. 3
    annehmen, bekommen, sich zulegen, sich geben, sich angewöhnen (Gestalt, Eigenschaft)
  4. 4
    sich anmaßen, sich aneignen
  5. 5
    vorschützen, vorgeben, erheucheln, heucheln

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how assume appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. "I mention this small episode because it assumes some importance in view of the tragedy which followed, but I was convinced at the time that the matter was entirely trivial and that his excitement had no justification."

Synonyms

takeundertaketake ontake upon one's selfbe willing to bearbecome responsible foraffectfeigncounterfeitsimulatepretend toput onshamarrogateusurpclaim undulymake unjust pretensions tobegsupposepresupposepostulatehypothesizeimplyconsider as truetake for grantedposit

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "assume"?
"assume" is spelled A-S-S-U-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is [əˈsjuːm].
What does "assume" mean?
As a verb, "assume" means: annehmen, voraussetzen, unterstellen
How do you pronounce "assume"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "assume" is [əˈsjuːm]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "assume" come from?
"assume" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list