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
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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
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of assertive
David Phelan, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Their concern was that a more assertive Germany would reawaken old fears about German militarism.
—Mark I. Vail, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
Android 16 expands on the assertive fraud detection shown off at I/O last year and rolled out this winter.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Still in its youth, this assertive, meaty wine reveals many layers of interest.
—Laura Ness, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assertive
Adjective
The iPhone 16 available on the site in all five colors: white, pink, black or the two standout colors, teal, which is a gently assertive shade that still manages to be relaxed and pastel, and ultramarine, which is eye-poppingly bright and attractive.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Their concern was that a more assertive Germany would reawaken old fears about German militarism.
—Mark I. Vail, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
Android 16 expands on the assertive fraud detection shown off at I/O last year and rolled out this winter.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Still in its youth, this assertive, meaty wine reveals many layers of interest.
—Laura Ness, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for assertive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assertive
Adjective
-
Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 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
Noun
-
Both services use data from NASA’s DSCOVR and ACE satellites, which orbit about a million miles out and measure the solar wind’s speed and magnetic intensity.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
Try and enjoy the stress and intensity of this moment.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Counterfeit Opera arrives as part of Little Island’s commendably ambitious second season of summer programming.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
-
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
-
That piece, and the book that would follow, has become a staple of environmental humanities classes for decades and still stirs vigorous classroom debate today.—
Daegan Miller
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
-
Media reports that Saudi Arabia will lift its decades-old ban on alcohol in select tourist zones have prompted the flare-up of a vigorous online debate in the conservative kingdom, with some voices in support and others in strong opposition.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Preview footage for the update shows the game running above 1080p, up from a dynamic 1080p on Switch 1, at a locked 60fps, more than double what was possible with the game on the Switch.—
Oliver Brandt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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Universities must take near-term actions to improve economic viability, such as adopting real-time budgeting approaches with regular reviews and dynamic resource reallocation—a present-forward approach.—
Gregory Crawford,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Training the Next Generation A key factor behind Hungary’s creative breadth is the country’s strong emphasis on education.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
8 June 2025
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Also, the emphasis on short maturities limits price volatility related to interest rates.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assertive. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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