adjective
-
confident and direct in claiming one's rights or putting forward one's views
-
given to making assertions or bold demands; dogmatic or aggressive
Usage
What does assertive mean? Assertive commonly means confident and direct when trying to get what one wants or saying what one wants to say. It can also mean aggressive, forceful, or having a tendency to make demands.These two meanings are typically applied to people, their personalities, or their actions. Assertive is sometimes also applied to food to mean having a bold flavor.Example: If you want your work to be noticed, you have to be more assertive—you can’t just sit quietly at every meeting.
Other Word Forms
- assertively adverb
- assertiveness noun
- nonassertive adjective
- nonassertively adverb
- nonassertiveness noun
- overassertive adjective
- overassertively adverb
- overassertiveness noun
- pseudoassertive adjective
- pseudoassertively adverb
- unassertive adjective
- unassertively adverb
- unassertiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of assertive
Compare meaning
How does assertive compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
There were consistent reservations about Frank's tactical approach, too: concerns he was not assertive enough in matches and was too focused on adapting to the opposition rather than imposing Spurs' own strengths.
From BBC
Perhaps spurred on by Washington's assertive approach, there is some evidence that European partners are willing to take more robust action too.
From BBC
But over time as social norms changed, so did attitudes toward assertive female Horses.
From Los Angeles Times
I blame myself for not being more assertive and sure of myself, for not going into the police station and forcing a statement on them.
From BBC
The EU must be "less naive" and "more assertive, more demanding, and more transactional if we want to have an impact in these negotiations", her office said ahead of the Cyprus meeting.
From Barron's
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.
