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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assertive
But those ties have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as the US began to see an increasingly assertive and powerful China as a technological rival and a threat to its own superpower status.
—
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
In 2020, he was awarded South Carolina’s top honor for assertive journalism.
—Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2025
The uninhabited Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyu Islands in China, are claimed by Beijing, which has intensified its assertive coast guard patrols since Tokyo nationalized the islands in 2012.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
More broadly—and perhaps most important in the long term—the Trump administration is less inclined to take on the assertive role that America has traditionally played in the Middle East, and which Israel has come to depend on.
—Daniel Byman, The Atlantic, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assertive
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
In 2020, he was awarded South Carolina’s top honor for assertive journalism.
—Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2025
The uninhabited Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyu Islands in China, are claimed by Beijing, which has intensified its assertive coast guard patrols since Tokyo nationalized the islands in 2012.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
More broadly—and perhaps most important in the long term—the Trump administration is less inclined to take on the assertive role that America has traditionally played in the Middle East, and which Israel has come to depend on.
—Daniel Byman, The Atlantic, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assertive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assertive
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
-
Bring the water to a gentle simmer (a boil is far too aggressive for poaching eggs).—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Florida native has notched seven consecutive wins, with his last three title defenses all ending in emphatic second-round finishes.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
-
Later in the quarter, Haliburton leaked ahead for an emphatic transition dunk.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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The Counterfeit Opera arrives as part of Little Island’s commendably ambitious second season of summer programming.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
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The $8 billion asking price, related by people close to the process, struck a few bidders as ambitious.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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That means doing your best to get in at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise, along with two days of strength training, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).—
Korin Miller,
Flow Space,
16 June 2025
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But that narrative hasn't stuck to Trump, who is known to ramble in public speeches but comes off as more vigorous to the public than Biden did.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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Noni finds herself up against Lion’s violent henchmen and women in series of fight-to-the-death encounters aboard the tyrant’s grandiose sailing ship, which lies at the heart of a vast naval fleet.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
9 June 2025
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The protests had been largely peaceful throughout Friday and Saturday, with isolated instances of violent activity.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Soon, such models may be able to account for the role played by environmental exposures and chance—offering a more dynamic, individualized map of risk.—
Siddhartha Mukherjee,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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Organizations that master this dynamic gain more than smoother project workflows.—
ESMT Berlin,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assertive. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
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