as in intensity
the quality or state of being forceful (as in expression)
the assertiveness with which he voices his opinions intimidates some people
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Recent Examples of assertiveness
But as public opinion sours, Congress has signaled more assertiveness in limiting the president.
—
Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Many leaders with this profile excel at building donor relationships but struggle to close—often because the moment’s assertiveness runs against their natural grain.
—Patrick Jinks, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
For now, Lebanon’s leaders have tried to press Hezbollah to lay down its arms with new assertiveness while insisting that the state will not be dragged into an internal war to impose it.
—Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
These female characters are just all in consistent assertiveness.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 19 May 2026
In both cases, Beijing has paired growing military capabilities with calibrated assertiveness, seeking to shift the balance of power through the steady normalization of Chinese pressure and presence, while carefully avoiding escalation.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
In Aries, the messenger planet initiates conversations with passion, courage and assertiveness.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Since the start of the Korean War, however, members of Congress have demonstrated more deference and less assertiveness.
—Robert Haswell, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Both view the Lebanese government as still completely incapable of disarming Hezbollah, though both were shocked at the new assertiveness of Beirut as seen by Tuesday’s banishment of Iran’s ambassador.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Many leaders with this profile excel at building donor relationships but struggle to close—often because the moment’s assertiveness runs against their natural grain.
—Patrick Jinks, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
For now, Lebanon’s leaders have tried to press Hezbollah to lay down its arms with new assertiveness while insisting that the state will not be dragged into an internal war to impose it.
—Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
These female characters are just all in consistent assertiveness.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 19 May 2026
In both cases, Beijing has paired growing military capabilities with calibrated assertiveness, seeking to shift the balance of power through the steady normalization of Chinese pressure and presence, while carefully avoiding escalation.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
In Aries, the messenger planet initiates conversations with passion, courage and assertiveness.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Since the start of the Korean War, however, members of Congress have demonstrated more deference and less assertiveness.
—Robert Haswell, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Both view the Lebanese government as still completely incapable of disarming Hezbollah, though both were shocked at the new assertiveness of Beirut as seen by Tuesday’s banishment of Iran’s ambassador.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assertiveness
Noun
-
Oura Ring, Ultrahuman and Clue have partnered to link cycle data with real-time biomarkers, and workout-modification engines adapting intensity to cycle phase are already in development per FemTech World’s 2026 outlook.—
Allison Palmer
June 4,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
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Climate change, from the burning of coal, oil and gas, increased the intensity of Canada's 2023 fire season by at least 50% and doubled the chances of the drier, hotter weather conditions that were needed for the fire, a 2023 study found.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Lurie partly values Roseman because of his strategic aggressiveness to make sure great players are locked down long term.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
Some more aggressiveness on the bases as well.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Even as legislative initiatives such as stablecoin legislation and market structure reform continue to advance, firms should expect ongoing emphasis on tax reporting, transaction monitoring, custody controls, and financial disclosures.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Reports have revealed that the Mechanical Proximity Fuze is noteworthy due to its emphasis on affordability, simplicity, and mass production.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Assertiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assertiveness. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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