1
as in aggressive
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
some reef fish are assertive in defending their territory
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in emphatic
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
after months of assertive declarations that he would not run for president, he announced he was running
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Recent Examples of assertive
In the mid-1970s, thanks to an inquisitive press and a newly assertive Congress, the public began to learn about the CIA’s more outlandish undertakings: not just coups and killings but also mind-control experiments (the notorious MKUltra program) and the surveillance of American citizens.
—
James Santel, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
And Munir, who is known for his hardline stance on Hindu-nationalist Modi, has a reputation of being more assertive than his predecessor Qamar Javed Bajwa.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
Seely also believes that ever since the Chicago Public Library started working with mental health consultant NAMI Chicago, staffers have been more assertive in issuing harsher suspensions for patrons who are verbally abusive toward them.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
In 2020, he was awarded South Carolina’s top honor for assertive journalism.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assertive
James Santel, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
And Munir, who is known for his hardline stance on Hindu-nationalist Modi, has a reputation of being more assertive than his predecessor Qamar Javed Bajwa.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
Seely also believes that ever since the Chicago Public Library started working with mental health consultant NAMI Chicago, staffers have been more assertive in issuing harsher suspensions for patrons who are verbally abusive toward them.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
In 2020, he was awarded South Carolina’s top honor for assertive journalism.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assertive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assertive
Adjective
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Nonprofits focused on such issues could be seen as antagonistic to the company’s aggressive commercialization efforts.—
Hayden Field,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
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The 82-year-old was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among men, with 1 in 8 being diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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When asked if the current staffing shortages would affect the accuracy of storm forecast models, Graham was emphatic.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
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The lasting image from that series was Roy Hibbert’s emphatic block on Carmelo Anthony with 5:03 left in Game 6.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Musk has seemingly pushed back the deadline for the $1 trillion in savings, as the billionaire Tesla chief said in March the ambitious cuts would be completed in roughly two months.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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The stricken destroyer was the country’s newest warship and was meant to be a triumph of North Korea’s ambitious naval modernization effort.—
Mike Valerio,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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When thinning, aim to leave the strongest seedlings and remove less vigorous neighbors.—
Viveka Neveln,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 May 2025
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Mow lawns often enough to keep turf at the proper height for vigorous growth.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Yet the Brazilian proceeded to show how Pereira’s faith was misplaced, first with a stroppy performance at Chelsea that prompted his head coach to publicly criticise his body language and then with his second violent meltdown of the season, against Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez in the FA Cup.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
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This sweeping action included both nonviolent participants and those convicted of violent crimes against law enforcement.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Even though he is getting upstaged by Judge just a bit, Crow-Armstrong is having a dynamic season for the Chicago Cubs; one that will probably earn him a healthy contract extension this offseason.—
Jared Wyllys,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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Additionally, Canada Post is proposing a dynamic routing model for its urban unit, in which where routes are planned and optimized daily to align workloads, prevent the overburdening of employees with volumes and create more predictable service for customers.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assertive. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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