he was presumed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he was presumed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing assumptions or beliefs about someone's state or condition, often in legal or formal contexts. Example: "In the absence of evidence to the contrary, he was presumed innocent until proven guilty."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

"He was presumed guilty because he was Muslim," they said.

The Guardian

His car was unregistered; he was presumed to be an illegal immigrant with no driving licence.

The Economist

Damaseb said Warner's resignation took him out of Fifa's jurisdiction and therefore he was presumed innocent.

Independent

But after six months he was presumed dead, shot down over Germany in a Mosquito.

The Guardian

Mr. Gerber declined to say what happened to his tracker, but an associate said he was presumed dead.

The New York Times

When it was found, he was presumed to be a Palestinian who had been killed as an Israeli informer.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

"Simply because Bishop Murphy served in Boston, he is presumed guilty".

The New York Times

He is presumed to be under detention, and there has been no news of his fate.

The New York Times

Because of where he is staying, he is presumed to be a tree-hugging "greenie," intent on destroying their livelihood.

The New York Times

Burke never returned; he is presumed to have fallen to his death in the whiteout conditions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He is presumed dead, one of the tens of thousands "disappeared" during Sri Lanka's civil war.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he was presumed" when you want to indicate an assumption based on available evidence, but without definitive proof.

Common error

Avoid presenting "he was presumed" as an established fact. The phrase indicates an assumption that requires further verification or may be subject to change with new evidence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was presumed" functions as a passive construction, indicating that someone else is making the presumption about "he". As Ludwig AI points out, this construction is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he was presumed" is a grammatically correct and commonly used passive construction to express an assumption or belief about an individual, frequently found in news reports, Wiki articles, and scientific publications. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a valid and widely accepted expression. Related phrases include "he was believed" and "it was assumed that he was". When employing this phrase, it's crucial to avoid presenting presumptions as established facts and to acknowledge the potential for evolving evidence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he was believed

Emphasizes a general acceptance or trust in a particular idea about him.

he was thought to be

Highlights the process of thinking or considering him in a certain state.

it was assumed that he was

Shifts the focus to the assumption itself, rather than the person making the assumption.

he was considered

Indicates a formal or informal evaluation of him.

he was understood to be

Suggests a common understanding or interpretation of his situation.

people assumed he was

Specifies that the presumption was held by the general public

it was his assumption that

Expresses that he had the presumption

he was regarded as

Highlights the esteem of a person

he was deemed to be

Expresses that an authority determined the belief

everyone supposed him to be

Emphasis on generalized belief

FAQs

How to use "he was presumed" in a sentence?

Use "he was presumed" to indicate a belief or assumption about someone based on available information, as in "he was presumed dead after the plane crash".

What can I say instead of "he was presumed"?

You can use alternatives like "he was believed", "he was thought to be", or "it was assumed that he was" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "he was presumed" or "it was presumed that he was"?

Both "he was presumed" and "it was presumed that he was" are correct. The choice depends on the emphasis you want to give. The first focuses on the person, while the second focuses on the presumption itself.

What's the difference between "he was presumed" and "he was considered"?

"He was presumed" suggests an initial assumption based on limited information, whereas "he was considered" suggests a more thoughtful evaluation or judgment. For example, "he was presumed innocent until proven guilty", compared to "he was considered a leading expert in the field".