presumptive
- Adjective:
- Providing reasonable grounds for belief or acceptance: Used to describe evidence, arguments, or cases that are strong enough to be accepted as true or valid until proven otherwise.
- Based on a reasonable assumption or probability: Used to describe a status, title, or right that is expected to be confirmed or realized based on current circumstances, such as lineage or law.
- Adjective:
- The police had presumptive evidence linking him to the crime scene.
- A presumptive diagnosis was made based on the patient's symptoms before the lab results arrived.
- He was the presumptive heir to the throne, next in line after the king's son.
"Presumptive nominee": In politics, a candidate who has not been formally nominated but has secured enough delegate support to make the nomination virtually certain.
- After winning the final primary, she became the party's presumptive nominee.
"Presumptive positive": In medicine or testing, an initial positive result that is highly indicative of a condition but requires a confirmatory test for a definitive diagnosis.
- The rapid test yielded a presumptive positive for the virus.
Presumptively (adverb): In a way based on reasonable assumption.
- The property will presumptively pass to the eldest child.
Presumption (noun): The act of presuming; an idea that is taken to be true based on probability.
- The argument is based on a presumption of innocence.
- Probable: Likely to happen or be the case.
- Assumed: Accepted as true without proof.
- Putative: Generally considered or reputed to be.
- Definitive: Serving to provide a final solution or answer; conclusive.
- Confirmed: Established as true or definite.
Presumptive evidence: Evidence that is sufficient to establish a fact or raise a presumption of truth unless contradicted.
- The fingerprint was considered presumptive evidence of his presence.
Heir presumptive: A person who is expected to inherit a title or position but can be displaced by the birth of a closer heir (e.g., a younger sibling).
- As the king's younger brother, he was the heir presumptive for many years.(Contrast with "heir apparent," which denotes an heir whose position cannot be displaced by a subsequent birth.)
- affording reasonable grounds for belief or acceptance
- presumptive evidence
- a strong presumptive case is made out
- having a reasonable basis for belief or acceptance
- the presumptive heir (or heir apparent)