assistive

adjective

as·​sis·​tive ə-ˈsi-stiv 

: providing aid or assistance

specifically : designed or intended to assist disabled persons

assistive technology

Examples of assistive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Treating hearing loss early—through hearing aids, cochlear implants or assistive devices—can have measurable effects. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025

If the trial succeeds, the tech could change how assistive communication devices work and speed up patient access to advanced tools. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Nov. 2025

NaviSense aims to fix long-standing problems in assistive navigation software. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025

Force them to respect your authentic brand image when your audience finds you on Google AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity and other AI assistive engines. —Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

assist entry 1 + -ive

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

assistive

adjective

as·​sist·​ive ə-ˈsis-tiv 

: providing aid or assistance

specifically : designed or intended to assist a disabled person in performing an activity, task, or function especially in an independent manner

assistive technology

Assistive devices help with the performance of daily activities. Most familiar are canes, crutches, and walkers. Other examples of simple assistive devices are raised toilet seats and firm pillows placed under the seats of chairs to help people with hip or knee arthritis to rise from a sitting position.

—Simeon Margolis, The Johns Hopkins White Pages

With some assistive devices, the visually impaired can do a variety of office jobs, using computers and telephones.

—Eric Aasen, The Dallas Morning News

Assistive technology (AT) by its very nature consists of a variety of personal and customized tools for multiple learning styles and physical challenges.

—Kelly Ahrens, Learning & Leading with Technology