ENGLISH
REFERENCE

presumably

adv. sent.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //pɹəˈzuməbɫi// UK //pɹɪzjˈuːməbli// pre·sum·ably

adv. used to say that you think something is true, even if you are not 100% sure. You use it when you have a good reason to believe something based on what you already know.

adv. used to convey that a statement is very likely true based on the available evidence, though not definitively proven.


SIMPLE

The store is closed, so presumably they have gone home.

CONTEXTUAL

The flight was delayed for three hours, so presumably the passengers will be eligible for a refund.

COMPLEX

The artifacts were found deep within the cave system, presumably left there by early inhabitants seeking shelter from the harsh glacial climate of the era.

Synonyms
Usage

Sentence adverb — typically placed at the beginning of a clause or before the main verb to indicate the speaker's degree of certainty.

Pitfall

It is presumably that he will win.Presumably, he will win.Presumably is an adverb and cannot function as an adjective following 'it is'; use 'it is probable' or 'presumably' as a sentence modifier.

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