initiative
adjective
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Definition of initiative
(Entry 1 of 2)
: of or relating to initiation : introductory, preliminary
initiative
noun
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Definition of initiative (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : an introductory step took the initiative in attempting to settle the issue
2 : energy or aptitude displayed in initiation of action : enterprise showed great initiative
3a : the right to initiate legislative action
b : a procedure enabling a specified number of voters by petition to propose a law and secure its submission to the electorate or to the legislature for approval — compare referendum sense 1
: at one's own discretion : independently of outside influence or control
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Synonyms for initiative
Synonyms: Noun
action, aggressiveness, ambition, drive, enterprise, go, hustle
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Examples of initiative in a Sentence
Adjective
Luther's daring initiative thoughts did indeed come from above, but he owed them to no man or age. — Junius B. Remensnyder, What the World Owes Luther, 1917 Many writers maintain that there is a rule of International Law forbidding the commencement of war without a declaration of war. But such rule, in fact, does not exist, for a great many wars take place without an initiative declaration of war. — Lassa Oppenheim, International Law, 1906Noun
… on the day before their Club Med flight she took the initiative of telephoning Franco from work, ostensibly to tell him that she had really admired his new place … — John Barth, Atlantic, March 1995 Following initiatives begun before the First World War, thirty-four states instituted or expanded workers' compensation laws in the 1920s. — Mary Beth Norton et al., A People and a Nation, 1988 Since the social victim has been oppressed by society, he comes to feel that his individual life will be improved more by changes in society than by his own initiative. — Shelby Steele, Harper's, June 1988 If you want to meet her, you're going to have to take the initiative and introduce yourself. The company has the opportunity to seize the initiative by getting its new products to the market before its competitors. The governor has proposed a new initiative to improve conditions in urban schools.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018 The girl of now initiative highlights women’s success stories in various fields. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "I dream of caftans," 23 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The Clinton Global Initiative, MTV, Intel, Glamour Magazine, and The Huffington Post have praised her charitable initiatives. — Ola Ojewumi, SELF, "I'm Celebrating My Disabled Black Girl Magic Because I'm Done Feeling Invisible," 7 Nov. 2018 The tax would have used the funds to pay for renewable energy improvements, including clean transportation initiatives. — Alissa Walker, Curbed, "Transit on the ballot: How cities voted to fund transportation," 7 Nov. 2018 Now a new initiative promises to honor women who’ve had an impact on the metropolis. — Mattie Kahn, Glamour, "9 Times Being a Woman in 2018 Was Genuinely Powerful," 30 Oct. 2018 Through fair wages, training and personal development initiatives the brand is able to foster and support their employees. — Chrissy Rutherford, Harper's BAZAAR, "Sustainable Brand Outland Denim Feels the Meghan Markle Effect," 29 Oct. 2018 What Lyft Is Doing Forever determined to not be outdone, Lyft launched its own The Ride to Vote initiative a couple weeks before Uber's announcement. — Jenny Hollander, Marie Claire, "How to Get to the Polls on Election Day for Free, or Close to It," 19 Oct. 2018 Those policies are all seen as initiatives of the crown prince, who has also presided over a roundup of activists and businessmen. — Fox News, "Newspaper says Turkey has audio of Saudi writer's slaying," 14 Oct. 2018 Six in 10 Mainers voted for a ballot initiative last November to expand eligibility for the program. — James Hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: GOP candidates caught in a bind on Medicaid," 13 July 2018 United began working on a data visualization initiative in 2015 with interns from the University of New Haven’s criminal justice program. — Lauren Zumbach, chicagotribune.com, "From birthday wishes for passengers to tracking baggage handler injuries, airlines tap big data to try to improve operations," 12 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'initiative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for initiative
initiative
noun
English Language Learners Definition of initiative
the initiative : the power or opportunity to do something before others do
: the energy and desire that is needed to do something
: a plan or program that is intended to solve a problem
See the full definition for initiative in the English Language Learners Dictionary
initiative
noun
\
Kids Definition of initiative
1 : a first step or movement I took the initiative and called first.
2 : energy shown in getting action started He's a person of great initiative.
initiative
noun
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Legal Definition of initiative
1 : the especially introductory series of steps taken to cause a desired result the deposing party would ordinarily be required to take the initiative in arranging a deposition — Andrews v. Bradshaw, 895 P.2d 973 (1995)
2a : the right to initiate legislative action
b : a procedure enabling a specified number of voters by petition to propose a law and secure its submission to the electorate or to the legislature for approval — see also referendum
: at one's own discretion : independently of outside influence, suggestion, or control the court may reduce a sentence on its own initiative — Ghrist v. People, 897 P.2d 809 (1995)
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