SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
presumptuous
adjective
Overstepping proper limits through excessive confidence or boldness.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Overstepping proper limits
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topPresumptuous criticizes taking liberties or assuming entitlement. Audacious can be admiring, while insolent adds open disrespect.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See presumptuous in use
It was presumptuous to announce an agreement before the others had approved it.
Later, a committee member wrote a sycophantic introduction that lavishly praised the donor's taste in hopes of gaining personal favor. During rehearsal, he became patronizing toward a capable designer, explaining simple tasks as though she could not understand her own work. He also made a presumptuous promise that the gallery next door would lend its largest room, although its manager had given him no authority to offer it.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license