Word
assertion
Meanings
a confident statement or claim that something is true, especially when it has not been proven
the act of expressing your rights, opinions, or authority firmly and confidently
Definition
An assertion is a confident statement that something is true, often made without proof.
An assertion is a firm claim or statement presented as a fact. People often make an assertion to persuade others or to express a strong opinion. Because an assertion may not include evidence, listeners may ask for support or clarification. In some contexts, it can also mean a person’s act of stating their rights or position with confidence.
Examples
- Her assertion that the report was “objective” sounded confident, but the panel still asked for sources.
- I challenged his assertion by pointing out several counterexamples from our dataset.
- The journalist treated the spokesperson’s assertion with caution and requested independent confirmation.
- Their assertion of control over the project became clear when they overruled the team’s decision in public.
Common mistake
Learners often use "assertion" as if it meant "assumption" or "fact," but an assertion is a claim that may still need evidence.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …