assert

American  

[uh-surt] / əˈsɜrt /

verb (used with object)

• asserts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• asserted,
  past participle,  past
• asserting
  present participle

1. to state with assurance, confidence, or force; state strongly or positively; affirm; aver.

   He asserted his innocence of the crime.

   Synonyms:

   maintain, avow, asseverate

   Antonyms:

   deny

2. to maintain or defend (claims, rights, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   support, uphold

3. to state as having existence; affirm; postulate.

   to assert a first cause as necessary.

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idioms

1. assert oneself, to insist on one's rights, declare one's views forcefully, etc..

   The candidate finally asserted himself about property taxes.

assert British  

/ əˈsɜːt /

verb

1. to insist upon (rights, claims, etc)

2. (may take a clause as object) to state to be true; declare categorically

3. to put (oneself) forward in an insistent manner

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Synonym Usage

See declare. See maintain.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• asserter
  noun
• assertor
  noun
• misassert
  verb (used with object)
• overassert
  verb (used with object)
• preassert
  verb (used with object)
• reassert
  verb (used with object)
• assertible
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• asserting
  present
• asserted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• assert
  simple
• asserts
  simple
• have asserted
  perfect
• has asserted
  perfect
• am asserting
  progressive
• are asserting
  progressive
• is asserting
  progressive
• have been asserting
  perfect progressive
• has been asserting
  perfect progressive

Past

• asserted
  simple
• had asserted
  perfect
• was asserting
  progressive
• were asserting
  progressive
• had been asserting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will assert
  simple
• will have asserted
  perfect
• will be asserting
  progressive
• will have been asserting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of assert

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin assertus “joined to, defended, claimed,” past participle of asserere “to join to, defend,” from as- as- + serere “to connect” ( cf. series)

Explanation

Asserting is all about standing up for what you believe. You might assert an opinion, your innocence, or even your authority over someone else. The verb assert can be used for both opinions and for oneself. When asked, you can politely assert your desire to go to the amusement park for your birthday. If no one listens to you, you can assert yourself and forcefully state that you really want to go to the amusement park for your birthday. If that fails, you should just take yourself to the amusement park for your birthday. And get better friends.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

assert asserts asserted asserting

"The time has come for us to assert our rights and re-establish labour-management relations on an equal footing," it added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

Nolan attempts to assert the text’s relevancy in our contemporary age, but that’s not something any scholar or even the average reader would contest.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

“Further, FanDuel could assert that Harper was, or should have been, aware of a potential connection between the video and FanDuel and, more generally, sports betting.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

During the conflict, Iran sought to assert its sovereignty over the strait, including by establishing the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority", which it said would manage "safe passage permits".

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

I was not even my parents’ son in 1928 but a devilishly smooth impostor, awaiting their slightest blunder as an excuse to move in—preferably without violence, but not necessarily—to assert my true identity.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Lee asserts that the recent poor reactions to earnings beats by technology companies don’t reflect that profit prospects are priced in, but instead that the broader market is merely enduring a period of nervousness.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

In the A.I. age, Maggie Hennessy asserts, sparring with a grouchy maître d’ over the phone is part of what makes dining out great.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

But what’s remarkable is that, although the movie is a tale of political conspiracy and violent machinations, De Palma correctly asserts that these things are not exclusive to those in the highest seats of power.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Such clippings were often shared among friends, family and communities of correspondents—the 19th-century equivalent, Mr. Wright cleverly asserts, “of posting a link in a group chat.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

And when the U.S. government asserts that terrorists raise money by selling black-market cigarettes, that acts as a rather jarring moral incentive.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Leto also allegedly asserted control by ignoring the girls he invited and speaking to them rudely.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

"The Theatro da Paz and the Praca da Republica asserted the strategic role of the city of Belem as a port and State capital," it stated.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

It “seems to me a fine time to be alive, in this age of falling walls,” she asserted.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

You have asserted your core First Amendment rights to speak, assemble, associate—to bear witness as a democratic check on an autocratic regime.

From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026

“These are very critical times,” Colonel Cathcart asserted petulantly from a far corner of the office, paying no attention to Colonel Korn.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Public comments to the SEC overwhelmingly opposed the agency’s decision, asserting investors in publicly traded companies need to know about climate risks and citing recent floods, wildfires and heat waves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Was it all overblown or was there has been some level of the German asserting his leadership over the whole squad - perhaps recognising and managing that main character syndrome?

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

The Malian army confirmed the rebel assaults on the four towns and Kenieroba on Facebook Saturday morning, asserting that "these attacks were vigorously repelled" and that "the situation is completely under control."

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

Sonically dynamic and unapologetically trenchant, “Arirang” took me on a journey by asserting BTS’ collective powers as mature artists and master storytellers, and I couldn’t help but be inspired.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Although thus incapable of mounting a civil war, they are nevertheless increasingly asserting their rights.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• affirm
• allege
• argue
• cite
• claim
• contend
• defend
• proclaim
• profess
• say
• stress
• uphold