presumptive
adjective
pre·sump·tive
pri-ˈzəm(p)-tiv 
1
: based on probability or presumption
the presumptive nominee/winner
see also heir presumptive
2
: giving grounds for reasonable opinion or belief
A blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent is considered presumptive evidence of drunken driving in Louisiana for those 21 and older.—
Joe Gyan Jr.
Joe Gyan Jr.He was admitted to the hospital with a presumptive diagnosis of cellulitis.—Mary Jo Bonner
Mary Jo Bonner… health departments in 20 states reported 100 presumptive or confirmed human cases of arboviral disease …—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association3
: being an embryonic precursor with the potential for forming a particular structure or tissue in the normal course of development
presumptive retina
presumptively
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of presumptive in a Sentence
in that climate of fear, an accusation alone was presumptive evidence of guilt
Recent Examples on the Web
Among the major takers was the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, who abruptly became the presumptive Democratic nominee last month and needs to quickly introduce herself to the public.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2024
Musk has made no mention of any plans to interview Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, on X.
Is Donald Trump still banned from X?
Since taking over the social media platform, Musk reinstated Trump's account in 2022, which was banned in January 2021 in the final days of his term.
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2024
His odds have decreased since Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee.
—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024
Nor do the dominant media care that Harris hasn’t sat for an interview or held a press conference since becoming the presumptive nominee.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for presumptive 
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2024
Musk has made no mention of any plans to interview Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, on X.
Is Donald Trump still banned from X?
Since taking over the social media platform, Musk reinstated Trump's account in 2022, which was banned in January 2021 in the final days of his term.
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2024
His odds have decreased since Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee.
—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024
Nor do the dominant media care that Harris hasn’t sat for an interview or held a press conference since becoming the presumptive nominee.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for presumptive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'presumptive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near presumptive
Cite this Entry
“Presumptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presumptive. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
presumptive
adjective
pre·sump·tive
pri-ˈzəm(p)-tiv
1
: expected to develop in a particular direction under normal conditions
presumptive regions of the blastula
2
: being the embryonic precursor of
presumptive neural tissue
3
: giving grounds for reasonable opinion
a presumptive diagnosis of dengue
presumptive or confirmed cases of communicable disease
Legal Definition
presumptive
adjective
pre·sump·tive
pri-ˈzəmp-tiv
1
: based on presumption : presumed to have occurred
a presumptive violation of law
2
: giving grounds for reasonable opinion or belief
presumptively
adverb
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