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assert Definition

as·sert (ə sʉrt′)

transitive verb

  1. to state positively; declare; affirm
  2. to maintain or defend (rights, claims, etc.)

Etymology: < L assertus, pp. of asserere, to join to, claim < ad-, to + serere, join: see series

assert Related Forms

as·sert′er noun or as·ser′·tor

assert Idioms

assert oneself

to insist on one's rights, or on being recognized

assert Synonyms

assert

v.

  1. To state positively

    state, say, declare, affirm, aver, avow, avouch, attest, profess, asseverate, warrant*; see also declare 1.

  2. To maintain

    cite, allege, advance; see support 2.

to assert is to state positively with great confidence but with no objective proof to assert that human nature will never change; to declare is to assert openly or formally, often in the face of opposition they declared their independence; affirm implies deep conviction in one's statement or the unlikelihood of denial by another she affirmed her innocence; aver connotes implicit confidence in the truth of one's statement from one's own knowledge of the matter; avouch implies firsthand knowledge or authority on the part of the speaker; warrant, in this comparison, is colloquial, and implies positiveness by the speaker I warrant they'll be late again See also syn. study at declare.

assert Usage Examples

Object

  • primacy: This asserted the primacy of public health over IPR.
  • supremacy: History is littered with the bloody consequences of attempts to assert the supremacy of one race over another.
  • superiority: Maxwell Martin's portrayal never descends into parody and never asserts an overweening superiority; it is simply well judged and superbly executed.
  • sovereignty: The new government asserted Parliamentary sovereignty over the colonies, and the resumption of American taxation formed part of that policy.
  • existence: The burden of proof lies on the person asserting the existence of a trust of land.
  • ownership: The only reason any of them want to assert ownership is in order to have a right to charge for addresses.

Used with why or when

what: Black and Minority Ethnic users often did not know about services or the most effective way of asserting what they needed.

Adjective complement

female: Playfully asserts female these fil-am experiences its roots in straight will impress.

Modifying Another Word

  • playfully: Playfully asserts female form of sentimentality noteworthy pieces in off your bro.
  • confidently: Many journalists assert confidently that you must always get the interviewee's permission first.
  • boldly: In December, the Secretary of State boldly asserted that, in his view, the Bill would settle the constitutional question in Wales.
  • dogmatically: He dogmatically asserts, " I have never sought approval, I have just done what I've wanted.
  • repeatedly: But, like as not, one specific problem repeatedly asserts itself.
  • falsely: He had then signed a certificate of disclosure that falsely asserted that all bank accounts had been declared.

Preposition: that

  • belief: Consequently, we do not assert that different beliefs are necessarily held in order for antagonists to justify conflicting goals.
  • border: Yet Zelos Group asserts that the border between an integrated development environment and a library of canned code with tools will always be muddy.
  • earth: It is very difficult now to assert that the earth sits on a turtle's back, or that humans arose from dream time.
  • difference: The authors assert that genetic differences in gender account for some anti-social behavior especially in boys with genetic risk factors toward autism and hyperactivity.
  • cannot: It is asserted here that the research cannot adequately describe, explain or understand such a relationship from the perspective of respondents.
  • state: Critics suggested that SDWA compliance may be worse than the data indicate, asserting that states and EPA inadequately monitor water system compliance.