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
Shy and unassertive, she’s often been overlooked by others and kept to herself.
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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
The sun, only rarely in evidence behind gray clouds, set quickly and bade us an unassertive farewell.
—Washington Post, 1 Jan. 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
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
The sun, only rarely in evidence behind gray clouds, set quickly and bade us an unassertive farewell.
—Washington Post, 1 Jan. 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
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Gary starts the film as a meek, somewhat nerdy college professor, but circumstances quickly force him into the uncomfortable position of becoming an undercover police informant.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
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Premature predictions of renewal would be foolish and, as Howe continually stressed, Newcastle cannot allow one strong outing to be followed by another meek one.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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With a full trailer stacked with 40 storage bins and five bicycles, Blair's operation has come a long way since its humble beginnings.Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024
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Turkey and the Wolf Named America’s Best New Restaurant by Bon Appetit in 2017, this humble sandwich shop continues to live up to its accolades.Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Edmunds expects only a modest increase in auto sales next year, from just under 16 million vehicles this year to 16.2 million in 2025.Cora Lewis, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
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The elder Stack had started the business as a teen in 1948 as a modest bait-and-tackle supplier in Binghamton, New York.Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The timid 20-year-old who couldn’t cook himself a meal is now a reliable senior international and Premier League signing.Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
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In his roughly 12 minutes per game, Sheppard has looked timid and tentative, and unable to create anything off the dribble.Rahat Huq, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unassertive
Cite this Entry
“Unassertive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unassertive. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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