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Definition of assert

assert

/əˈsɜːrt/
as · sert
Adverb:assertively
•
Adjective:assertive
•
Past Simple:asserted
•
Past Participle:asserted
•
Present Participle:asserting
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assert Lexical Profile

assert Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.

Example

"The researcher continued to assert that her experimental findings were completely accurate."

2

To cause others to recognize (one's authority or a right) by confident and forceful behavior.

Example

"As the new director, she moved quickly to assert her authority over the department."

3

To behave or speak in a confident and forceful manner (used with a reflexive pronoun).

Example

"Waiters in a busy restaurant quickly learn how to assert themselves when managing impatient customers."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for assert

• Nearby Words

assemblywoman
assent
assenter
assert
assertion
assertive
assertively

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin assertus, the past participle of asserere ('to claim, maintain, or declare free'), originally formed from ad- ('to') and serere ('to join or bind'), referring to the ancient Roman legal ritual of laying one's hand on a slave's head to declare them free.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Assert. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/assert
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