as in meek
not talking or behaving in a loud and confident way
a modest, unassertive person an unassertive manner
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Recent Examples of unassertive
This film, so seemingly unassertive, apparently rambling and plotless, has a devastating impact and aftershock.
—
Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Accommodating, which is unassertive and cooperative, prioritizes the needs and preferences of others over one’s own in order to maintain harmony.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Shy and unassertive, she’s often been overlooked by others and kept to herself.
—Yasmine Alsayyad, The New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2023
After a time, Patterson’s play-it-down-the-middle approach feels less like the remembrances of a Renaissance man and more like evasive, unassertive hedging.
—Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 6 June 2022
My own thoughts have been along the line of weak, unassertive, super humble and timid.
—Glenna Christensen, idahostatesman, 14 June 2018
Meryl Streep stars as Post owner Katherine Graham, an unassertive socialite who normally follows the journalistic lead of her editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks, playing it too cute).
—John Powers, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2017
Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Accommodating, which is unassertive and cooperative, prioritizes the needs and preferences of others over one’s own in order to maintain harmony.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Shy and unassertive, she’s often been overlooked by others and kept to herself.
—Yasmine Alsayyad, The New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2023
After a time, Patterson’s play-it-down-the-middle approach feels less like the remembrances of a Renaissance man and more like evasive, unassertive hedging.
—Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 6 June 2022
My own thoughts have been along the line of weak, unassertive, super humble and timid.
—Glenna Christensen, idahostatesman, 14 June 2018
Meryl Streep stars as Post owner Katherine Graham, an unassertive socialite who normally follows the journalistic lead of her editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks, playing it too cute).
—John Powers, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unassertive
Adjective
-
The other, meek and mild-mannered.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The team were meek in defeat, but after a weekend carousing and communing in central London, Newcastle fans arrived at Wembley with a collective hangover.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with this, but outsourcing the writing to professionals only underscored the degree to which this humble document, once meant to blunt the puffery of the cover letter, had now become the leading weapon in the job seeker’s arsenal.—
Stephen Mihm,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
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Sporks have come a long way from their humble beginnings in Rhode Island, and as the traveler’s preferred eating utensil, they’re destined to go ever further.—
James Stout,
Outside,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The other point is how the Marlins could replace a player of Alcantara’s talent for that modest-by-baseball-standards salary.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2026
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Set a modest milestone for today, then show your work to someone who can offer kind feedback.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Their smaller counterparts, alpacas, are more timid and shy, but the more independent ones that aren't afraid to be away from the herd do well as therapy animals.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
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Jerusalem, timid about the prospect of a land invasion, can only respond with more airstrikes until the regime hits its breaking point and the people rise up.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unassertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unassertive. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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