nonassertive
- adjective
- /ˌnɒnəˈsɜːrtɪv/
- His nonassertive nature made it difficult for him to voice his opinions in meetings.
- nonassertive behavior
Examples
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There were six to seven possible cognitive responses and six to seven possible behavioral responses in each situation, including positive/negative cognitive self-statements and assertive/nonassertive behaviors.
Academic text (1990) -
A nonassertive behavior example is the statement, "I'm tired of being criticized all the time; you people just don't care about me."
Academic text (1990) -
Subscales 1-3 relate to assertive responses, whereas subscales 5 and 6 relate to nonassertive behaviors.
Academic text (1990) -
Subscales of behavioral responses are either assertive or nonassertive. All subscales except for subscale 4 refer to responses to teams' criticism.
Academic text (1990) -
At the low end of the scale, the individual is not assertive; hostility may be suppressed or covertly expressed, but the individual is withdrawn and nonassertive (Turner, 1969, p. 123).
Academic text (1992) -
In a group discussion, she often took a nonassertive approach, allowing others to dominate the conversation.
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When faced with criticism, her nonassertive demeanor prevented her from defending herself effectively.
Synonyms
Not willing to talk about thoughts or feelings easily
Calm and gentle, not likely to attack or fight
Not confident about saying what you think or want
Not likely to fight or act forcefully towards others
A person who does not say opinions or feelings openly
Antonyms
How Assertive
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Nonassertive breaks into non- meaning 'not' and assertive, from assert meaning 'to speak up' or 'say something firmly'. So, a nonassertive person is 'not speaking up' and not pushy, though they may still be confident.