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.
Her contemporary approach blends intimate ballads with hip-hop beats and assertive attitude, while she leans further than some in the direction of jazzy soul.
Last week, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC the UK was working with European allies on "more assertive" action against shadow fleet vessels.
From BBC
One swift pinch of an ear, one assertive push behind a knee, and Kevin the yak was down without even entirely realizing that he’d fallen.
From Literature
Since then, the Traoré-led junta has tightened its grip on the country, expelling French forces, adopting an assertive nationalist stance and recently reinstating the death penalty, including for crimes of high treason.
From BBC
Cooper promised more "assertive action" to "tighten the chokehold" on the shadow fleet with more "disruption" and "enforcement measures".
From BBC
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.
