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
-
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
-
Employment growth is meek, but the labor market is holding steady.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These once-humble activities are reclaiming their place not as quaint relics, but as powerful tools for well-being.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Ready to let the humble-yet-mighty brown work its magic in your wardrobe this fall?—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While second-year quarterback Caleb Williams had a modest outing, completing 15 of 26 passes for 172 yards without a touchdown, Chicago’s ground game stole the spotlight.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The President praised the speed with which this modest protest was suppressed.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Babies also have new behaviors, from a playful and inquisitive Diplodocus to a more timid Moros Intrepidus.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
In the bit, Rihanna and Ronnie (Andy Samberg) are dropping knowledge to a group of grade schoolers with the singer crooning in her power range as timid Ronnie can barely rise above a whisper to her utter consternation.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unassertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unassertive. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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