assertive

[uh-sur-tiv]

See more synonyms for assertive on Thesaurus.com

adjective

confidently aggressive or self-assured; positive: aggressive; dogmatic: He is too assertive as a salesman.
having a distinctive or pronounced taste or aroma.

Origin of assertive

First recorded in 1555–65; assert + -ive

Related formsas·ser·tive·ly, adverbas·ser·tive·ness, nounnon·as·ser·tive, adjectivenon·as·ser·tive·ly, adverbnon·as·ser·tive·ness, nouno·ver·as·ser·tive, adjectiveo·ver·as·ser·tive·ly, adverbo·ver·as·ser·tive·ness, nounpseu·do·as·ser·tive, adjectivepseu·do·as·ser·tive·ly, adverbun·as·ser·tive, adjectiveun·as·ser·tive·ly, adverbun·as·ser·tive·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for assertive on Thesaurus.com

1. forceful, decisive, forward.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for assertiveness

Contemporary Examples

When she tries to join a conversation between two men at dinner she is chastened for her assertiveness.
American Dreams, 1924: ‘So Big’ by Edna Ferber
Nathaniel Rich
March 29, 2014
The assertiveness China already shows in Asia and Africa is just the beginning.
Why the West Rules—For Now
Ian Morris
December 25, 2010
I absolutely love the assertiveness of olives and capers, especially when paired with a meaty fish like swordfish.
Fresh Picks
Donatella Arpaia
August 11, 2009

Historical Examples

Moore's had been imploring in its assertiveness, the desire to convince.
The Prisoner
Alice Brown
For all his assertiveness in matters of opinion he is not an intrusive person.
Notes on My Books
Joseph Conrad
Flourishes are always indicative of a certain amount of assertiveness.
The Detection of Forgery
Douglas Blackburn
There lurked in it a suggestion of assertiveness, of aggressiveness even.
Who?
Elizabeth Kent
Chief among these one notices the assertiveness of the dogs.
Le Petit Nord
Anne Elizabeth Caldwell (MacClanahan) Grenfell and Katie Spalding

British Dictionary definitions for assertiveness

assertive

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

Derived Formsassertively, adverbassertiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for assertiveness

n.

"tendency toward self-assertion," 1881, from assertive + -ness.

assertive

adj.

1560s, "declaratory, positive, full of assertion," from assert + -ive. Meaning "insisting on one's rights" is short for self-assertive (1865).

assertive

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}assertive

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for assertiveness

Contemporary Examples

When she tries to join a conversation between two men at dinner she is chastened for her assertiveness.

The assertiveness China already shows in Asia and Africa is just the beginning.

I absolutely love the assertiveness of olives and capers, especially when paired with a meaty fish like swordfish.

Historical Examples

Moore's had been imploring in its assertiveness, the desire to convince.

For all his assertiveness in matters of opinion he is not an intrusive person.

Flourishes are always indicative of a certain amount of assertiveness.

There lurked in it a suggestion of assertiveness, of aggressiveness even.

Chief among these one notices the assertiveness of the dogs.

assertive

Word Origin and History for assertiveness

n.

assertive

adj.

Origin of assertive