assume and assure differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. assume means “take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof”. assure means “make certain of”.
/əˈsum/
1.v.take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
“I assume his train was late”
2.v.take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities
“When will the new President assume office?”
3.v.take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
“His voice took on a sad tone”
/əˈʃʊɹ/
1.v.make certain of
“This nest egg will ensure a nice retirement for us”
2.v.inform positively and with certainty and confidence
“I tell you that man is a crook!”
3.v.assure somebody of the truth of something with the intention of giving the listener confidence
“I assured him that traveling to Cambodia was safe”
| assume | assure | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈsum/ | /əˈʃʊɹ/ |
| Said | uh-SOOM | uh-SHUUR |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb |
| Senses | 9 | 6 |
| How common | Common | Common |
| Synonyms | presume, take for granted | guarantee, ensure, insure |
Full entry for assume · Full entry for assure · More comparisons