presumably sleeping

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "presumably sleeping" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to suggest that someone is likely or assumed to be sleeping, without having definitive proof. Example: "The baby is presumably sleeping in her crib, as there has been no sound for the last hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This was held in a hotel room, beginning at midnight and Lardner immediately repaired to the bed, where he lay throughout the proceedings, silent and still, and presumably sleeping soundly.

The New Yorker

Sure, but then you probably wonʼt have as much fun in life as the woman with the forty five minute orgasm who is presumably sleeping blissfully just four feet from me.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The projects, of which nine were completed at the London event last week, are developed over a very long weekend – presumably sleep is optional – and some go on to form actual companies.

TechCrunch

Altogether, these studies are consistent with the notion that SWA, and presumably sleep need, are increased by events leading to synaptic potentiation and decreased by events leading to synaptic depression, and that their regulation can occur locally in cortical circuits [9], [38].

Plosone

As the children jostle "whoa this way and whoa that way" (while their parents, presumably, sleep soundly), the house climbs high above Foggytown's haze.

The New York Times - Books

He was, of course, married (how many women since Calpurnia have had to listen to an unfaithful husband remind them that "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion"?) and, presumably, he slept at his official residence in town, or pretended to.

The New Yorker

Anyone presumably can sleep with a celebrity or multiple celebrities.

Huffington Post

The survey also asked whether people had trouble sleeping, presumably at night.

The New York Times

Thankfully, every page is designed in a way that would make it easy for a parent to use with one hand — while, presumably, holding a sleeping baby with the other.

The New York Times - Tech

Two other sleeping children, presumably in another bed, are not blond, but they are dimly lighted, leaving them ambiguous.

The New York Times

Many insomniacs don't show impaired sleep by any objective measure to begin with — but presumably they benefit from sleeping pills, too.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "presumably sleeping" when you have a reasonable basis to believe someone is asleep, but lack definitive proof. It is useful for setting a scene or making an educated guess about someone's state.

Common error

Avoid using "presumably sleeping" when you have concrete evidence or direct observation of someone sleeping. In such cases, a more direct statement like "is sleeping" is more appropriate and accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "presumably sleeping" functions as an adverbial modifier combined with a participle phrase. The adverb 'presumably' modifies the verb 'sleeping', indicating an assumption or likelihood. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "presumably sleeping" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate a likely state of sleep based on available information. Ludwig AI validates its correctness. It functions as an adverbial modifier and is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While its usage is relatively rare, it is suitable for neutral to slightly formal registers. Consider alternatives like "likely asleep" or "probably sleeping" for similar meanings. Use "presumably sleeping" when you wish to convey an assumption without absolute certainty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

likely asleep

Directly replaces 'presumably' with 'likely', emphasizing probability.

probably asleep

Replaces 'presumably' with 'probably', indicating a strong likelihood.

assumed to be sleeping

Replaces 'presumably' with 'assumed', highlighting the inference.

most likely sleeping

Adds 'most' to 'likely' for a slightly stronger emphasis on probability.

one can assume is sleeping

Formal rephrasing that uses "one can assume" instead of "presumably".

is thought to be sleeping

Expresses the idea of sleep as a common belief.

sleeping, one would imagine

Adds a touch of speculation using 'one would imagine'.

apparently asleep

Indicates that the sleeping state is based on available evidence.

apparently sleeping

Highlights that evidence suggests a state of sleep.

in a state of presumed sleep

Rephrases to emphasize sleep as a presumed state.

FAQs

How can I use "presumably sleeping" in a sentence?

You can use "presumably sleeping" to indicate that someone is likely asleep based on the circumstances, such as, "Since it's past midnight, the children are "presumably sleeping" upstairs."

What's a more formal way to say "presumably sleeping"?

A more formal alternative to "presumably sleeping" could be "it is assumed that they are sleeping" or "they are thought to be sleeping". These options provide a similar meaning but in a more formal register.

What can I say instead of "presumably sleeping" if I'm not sure?

If you're unsure, you can use phrases like "likely asleep", "possibly sleeping", or "might be sleeping" to convey a lower degree of certainty.

Is there a difference between "presumably sleeping" and "definitely sleeping"?

Yes. "Presumably sleeping" suggests an assumption based on available information, while "definitely sleeping" indicates a confirmed state. If you have concrete evidence, "definitely sleeping" is more accurate.