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

West asserts that Gilkar and Ahmed pressured her to terminate the pregnancy; Gilkar and Ahmed assert that West initially agreed that termination would be best and even made an appointment before changing her mind.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

It remains to be seen whether Asher-Smith will choose to join Hunt in that event, which would give her the chance to assert herself as the outright most successful athlete in championship history.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 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

A growing chorus of critics assert that AI companies participating in that spending will struggle to justify today’s investments, much less the even bigger outlays planned for the coming years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

There was nothing to do but assert her authority.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George

It asserts broader German leadership for European security.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

In under half a minute, the state’s theory asserts, Byrd and Roberts went from perceiving a genuine threat and returning fire to pursuing someone who no longer posed a danger.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

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

The special permit waives the Texas-based company’s compliance with a federal pipeline regulation and asserts that the federal agency has oversight of the oil venture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 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

But builders have asserted that contracts and warranties signed with homeowners shield them from liability for the claims and that often mold problems are the fault of poor maintenance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

The president has asserted that the new ballroom was needed to accommodate grand parties and state visits and would improve security.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 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

“I know him too, and I tell you he’s a Muslim,” asserted the imam.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

“Noel Tata has been in some sense pushing for change, asserting himself,” said Kavil Ramachandran, a professor at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

The ICC expressed concern over those withdrawals, asserting that such countries risked undermining the collective pursuit of justice.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

“People wait their whole life to find their calling,” Casey’s teacher tells her about the scholarship, asserting that a natural fluency in science means it must be her destiny.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026

At the time, a Romney spokesman defended the holding by asserting that the tax treatment of his IRA “is the same for Gov. Romney as it is for every citizen of the U.S.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

In the years that followed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will, my right to fall short of expectations.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

Related Words

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