assertion
Americannoun
-
a positive statement or declaration, often without support or reason.
a mere assertion;
an unwarranted assertion.
- Synonyms:
- allegation, contention, claim
-
an act of asserting.
noun
-
a positive statement, usually made without an attempt at furnishing evidence
-
the act of asserting
Other Word Forms
- assertional adjective
- misassertion noun
- nonassertion noun
- overassertion noun
- reassertion noun
- superassertion noun
Etymology
Origin of assertion
1375–1425; late Middle English assercion < Latin assertiōn- (stem of assertiō ). See assert, -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You might roll your eyes at the quasi-hippie assertion, but 100 pages later, you will nod your head sagely in agreement.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
The editorial cites an assertion by American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Roger Pielke Jr. that parts of the chapter were ghost written by our colleague Michael Burger.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
There’s a lot of data that backs this assertion up.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Noem claimed in the hearing that Trump had signed off on the campaign, an assertion that reportedly infuriated Trump.
From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026
The quietly inoffensive assertion of a black child’s attempt to communicate with a white adult.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.