assertion
Americannoun
-
a positive statement or declaration, often without support or reason.
a mere assertion;
an unwarranted assertion.
- Synonyms:
- allegation, contention, claim
-
an act of asserting.
noun
-
a positive statement, usually made without an attempt at furnishing evidence
-
the act of asserting
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of assertion
1375–1425; late Middle English assercion < Latin assertiōn- (stem of assertiō ). See assert, -ion
Explanation
An assertion is a declaration that's made emphatically, especially as part of an argument or as if it's to be understood as a statement of fact. To assert is to state with force. So if someone makes an assertion, they’re not just trying out an idea — they really mean it. An assertion can also be an act that seems to make a statement without words. When your dog urinates in multiple places up and down your block, he's making an assertion of his dominance (also called "marking") over his "territory."
Vocabulary lists containing assertion
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Assertion of independence was possible, and Tacitus’ works present a number of voices of senatorial independence.
From Salon • Dec. 11, 2019
After he gave a meandering soliloquy in response to a question about banks, Rubio took it upon himself to implement a Troubled Assertion Relief Program, exclaiming, “He’s right on point, there.”
From The New Yorker • Nov. 30, 2015
The feminist debate at the literary festival culminated in the session titled "Imagine: Resistance, Protest, Assertion."
From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2013
Facts is survived by two brothers, Rumor and Innuendo, and a sister, Emphatic Assertion.
From Chicago Tribune • Apr. 20, 2012
In 1521 therefore he entered the lists against Luther with an "Assertion of the Seven Sacraments" for which he was rewarded by Leo with the title of "Defender of the Faith."
From History of the English People, Volume III The Parliament, 1399-1461; The Monarchy 1461-1540 by Green, John Richard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
