1
as in aggressive
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
we need to hire self-assertive salespeople who don't require constant supervision
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
after the interview, we chose a less self-assertive and more self-effacing applicant
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Recent Examples of self-assertive
The Oxford English Dictionary cites an early use of the term by psychologist David Bakan, who used it in a 1966 essay to describe the self-assertive qualities of the psyche.
—
Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026
And while the visions of uncannily artificial paradise might recall Rousseau, or the curvy, geometrically rounded bodies suggest the work of Colombian Fernando Botero, Angulo’s young women appear more self-aware and self-assertive than the subjects of either of those artists.
—Benjamin Lima, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
The only really odious members of the party will, of course, be those termed the Young, who are almost certain to prove fast, rude, and self-assertive.
—Nancy Mitford, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2023
Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026
And while the visions of uncannily artificial paradise might recall Rousseau, or the curvy, geometrically rounded bodies suggest the work of Colombian Fernando Botero, Angulo’s young women appear more self-aware and self-assertive than the subjects of either of those artists.
—Benjamin Lima, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
The only really odious members of the party will, of course, be those termed the Young, who are almost certain to prove fast, rude, and self-assertive.
—Nancy Mitford, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-assertive
Adjective
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Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of aggressive enforcement activities in Chicago and Minneapolis, resigned from the agency.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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That approach, paired with more outreach to Black residents, may help increase the city’s affordable housing stock and close the gap in Black homeownership, though some city council members have urged a more aggressive push on affordable housing.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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However, many thought Tilson Thomas too brash and arrogant to lead an orchestra, and, around the same time, Tilson Thomas fell in with New York’s disco-hopping crowd.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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Completely round and full, the full moon will be in the ambitious, mysterious sign of Scorpio.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Along the way, there have been fast times, big doping busts and fierce corporate competition for the fastest humans in history.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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Pre-marketing fight lands in court The fiercest pushback to Compass’s marketing strategy came from Zillow, the country’s largest home-search platform.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-assertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-assertive. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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