Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Not assertive; reserved.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Not
assertive
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective inclined to timidity or lack of self-confidence
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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They're characterized as unassertive, over-patient, avoiding conflict.
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A magistrate's impatience with an "unassertive" public prosecutor led to a successful review application and the setting aside of a 10-year sentence for rape in the Pietermaritzburg
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In recording the mutation of the term "passive voice", I've been focusing on the way that the word passive has gradually lost its technical grammatical meaning, and taken on a sense crystallizing around notions of passive as "unassertive", "lacking in force",
Oz and Ends 2009
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In recording the mutation of the term "passive voice", I've been focusing on the way that the word passive has gradually lost its technical grammatical meaning, and taken on a sense crystallizing around notions of passive as "unassertive", "lacking in force",
Oz and Ends 2009
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Written and directed by Adam Rapp, starring Zooey Deschanel, Will Ferrel, Ed Harris, and Amelia Warner, “Winter Passing” is a film whose unassertive, low key existence continually enthralls me.
Overlooked Movie Monday: Winter Passing » Scene-Stealers 2010
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Also, they were laughing and merry eyes, within them much of the naivete and wonder of the child; and yet, in an unassertive way, they contained much of calm self-reliance and strength of purpose founded upon self-experience and experience of the world.
All Gold Cañon 2010
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Also, they were laughing and merry eyes, within them much of the naivete and wonder of the child; and yet, in an unassertive way. they contained much of calm self-reliance and strength of purpose founded upon self-experience and experience of the world.
All Gold Canon 2010
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With them, Gough receded into himself, and the result was unassertive indie-jangle in a Lightning Seeds vein.
Badly Drawn Boy - review Caroline Sullivan 2010
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Sheila, who he remembered as dark, slender, plain and unassertive, now seemed fuller and prettier, or at least blonder with more prominent lips or lipstick he couldn't tell which.
After the Alamo 2010
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He was totally unassertive, always reluctant to put himself forward.
Empire of Dreams Scott Eyman 2010
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