is presumably not

USAGE SUMMARY

'is presumably not' is correct and usable in written English.
It means that something is considered to be probably not true or not the case. For example: The house is presumably not haunted, as there have been no reports of any strange occurrences.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But justice is, presumably, not just another city service.

The New York Times

Batting Average is confusing and is presumably not part of a gene annotator's diction.

University of California, Berkeley

(Going on bended knee to Sheldon Adelson for more contributions is, presumably, not a problem).

The Guardian - Opinion

(Also, Cloud is presumably not an answer with airplane connection restrictions).

The New York Times

(The ability to charge a lot for stating the obvious is presumably not one of them).

The Economist

The ultimate Russian interest is presumably not to become the collateral victim of spiraling jihadist violence.

The New York Times

Just unusual for a man worth $250 million who is presumably not in need of a spare $60,000.

The New Yorker

Given the scarcity of medical resources, the dilemma at the heart of Shaw's play is presumably not impossible today.

The Guardian

The motivation for studying in an English medium university is presumably not only to gain a degree but also to improve English language proficiency.

Journal of Second Language Writing

(This is presumably not true in places frequented by unattached young people, but I have never been young or unattached here, so I wouldn't know).

The New York Times - Style

(The company neglected to say exactly what a "design chair" is — presumably not something you unfold on the lawn or buy from Ikea).

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "is presumably not" when you want to express a qualified negation based on assumption or common knowledge, rather than definitive proof. This softens the statement and acknowledges the possibility of being incorrect.

Common error

While useful, overuse of "is presumably not" can make your writing sound hesitant. Vary your language by using stronger negations or alternative phrases like "is unlikely" or "is not expected to be" for a more confident tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is presumably not" functions as a qualified negation. It softens a negative statement by indicating that the negation is based on an assumption or inference, rather than absolute certainty. As shown by Ludwig, it is a valid and grammatically sound way to express uncertainty.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

40%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "is presumably not" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express a qualified negation based on assumption or inference. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's perfectly acceptable in written English. It appears frequently in news, science, and academic contexts, conveying a level of uncertainty that softens the statement. When using this phrase, remember that it implies an assumption, not a definitive fact, and overuse can make your writing sound hesitant. Consider alternatives like "is likely not" or "is probably not" to vary your language. The frequency data also demonstrates that "is presumably not" is indeed commonly used, especially by top sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is likely not

Replaces "presumably" with "likely", indicating a strong possibility but not certainty.

is probably not

Substitutes "presumably" with "probably", suggesting a slightly higher degree of confidence.

is unlikely to be

Uses "unlikely" to convey a low probability.

is not expected to be

Focuses on expectations rather than assumptions.

is thought not to be

Attributes the lack of expectation to a general belief.

it is doubtful that

Shifts the sentence structure to emphasize doubt.

is conceivably not

Replaces "presumably" with conceivably showing something is possible but improbable.

is possibly not

Indicates a possibility that something is not the case.

is apparently not

Suggests that something seems not to be the case based on available evidence.

it seems unlikely that

Expresses a lack of likelihood based on observation.

FAQs

How can I use "is presumably not" in a sentence?

Use "is presumably not" to indicate something that is likely not the case based on available information, but without absolute certainty. For example, "The restaurant is presumably not open on Mondays, as I've never seen it open then."

What are some alternatives to "is presumably not"?

You can use alternatives like "is likely not", "is probably not", or "is unlikely to be" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "is presumably not" or "is certainly not"?

"Is presumably not" indicates an assumption, while "is certainly not" expresses a definite negation. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects your level of certainty. If you lack concrete proof, "is presumably not" is more appropriate.

What's the difference between "is presumably not" and "is possibly not"?

"Is presumably not" suggests a higher degree of likelihood than "is possibly not". The former indicates a reasonable assumption, while the latter simply acknowledges a potential, albeit perhaps improbable, scenario.