safely assume
/ˌseɪfli əˈsjuːm/
verb phrase
-
to believe that something is almost certainly true, so you do not need to worry that you are wrong
B2transitive; often followed by a that-clause; usually used with can/could or in "it is safe to assume"neutral
- "You can safely assume the shop is closed if the lights are off."B1
- "Given how late it is, we can safely assume that everyone has gone home."B2
- "It is safe to assume that the committee will ask for more evidence, so we should prepare additional data."C1
Common mistakes
- We can safe assume that the train is delayed.→We can safely assume that the train is delayed.
Use the adverb "safely" to modify the verb "assume", not the adjective "safe".