1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude a bunch of self-asserting upstarts who thought that they could buy their way into high society

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-asserting
Adjective
  • The protests proved conclusively that Americans will not tolerate the deployment of the U.S. military in American cities, the constant line-stepping over constitutional boundaries, the arrests of political dissenters, or the arrogant defense of police-state tactics.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
  • In Aesop’s fable, the turtle (traditionally called a tortoise, which is a type of turtle) is a winner, a perpetual underdog who defeats the arrogant hare.
    A.O. Scott, New York Times, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • From there, the team set about making Victor feel comfortable and confident as both a filmmaker and a performer.
    Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
  • Financial institutions can build trust by judiciously providing key information to help clients make confident decisions without unnecessary complexities.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • But even in Alberta, a province that has favored development, the legacy policies are still likely not aggressive enough to meet the moment.
    Mark Le Dain, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • Most recently the administration asked the Supreme Court to clear the way for downsizing the federal workforce despite multiple court rulings that congressional approval is needed to make such aggressive reductions.
    Ragan Whitlock, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Adjective
  • While dozens of legal challenges to DOGE and Trump administration actions make their way through the courts, Musk remained optimistic about the project's enduring legacy at his farewell press conference with Trump on May 30.
    Stephen Fowler, NPR, 16 June 2025
  • On Friday, head coach Javier Mascherano attempted to remain optimistic about his team’s chances to play a significant part in the tournament.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • Oh Ae-sun (played by K-pop superstar IU, who also portrays Ae-sun’s daughter Geum-myeong) is a poor but ambitious girl who grows up on South Korea’s Jeju Island in the 1950s and 1960s.
    Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • This year’s edition, moreover, is more ambitious than ever.
    Essie Assibu, Variety, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.
    Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 25 June 2025
  • The land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties and bloody betrayals.
    Selome Hailu, Variety, 24 June 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Self-asserting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-asserting. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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