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
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
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
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This meek performance prompted a furious reaction from the fanbase.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Tessa Thompson stars as the willful heroine, married to a rather meek academic, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who’s angling for an important university position.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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From bright, bold hard-shell spinners to the humble duffel bag, carry-on luggage comes in seemingly endless varieties.—
Sal Vaglica,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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Well, maybe not cheering, exactly, but at least nodding in mild appreciation at a movie that realizes its humble and happy purpose.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In Virginia, moderate Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and congresswoman, has maintained a modest lead over Republican nominee, Winsome Earle-Sears, the state's current lieutenant governor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
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Its modest 10 cubic feet of cargo space isn't exactly designed for grocery hauls.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Somewhat soft-spoken, Riccoboni is hardly timid in his art.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Nov. 2025
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Not as impressive is its thin and timid use of Star Wars' unique setting.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unassertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unassertive. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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