Assertive
Assertive adjective - Having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal.
Usage example: some reef fish are assertive in defending their territory
Modest
Modest adjective - Not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness.
Usage example: appealingly modest about her success in the fashion industry
Both words in one sentence
- Nurture debate: are most girls naturally more modest and boys more assertive, or does society train boys to assert themselves (to the point of boasting), while teaching girls that "it's not nice to brag" and that they should "share" credit for their achievements?
Source: Heroic Self-Deprecation
Cite this Source
Modest and Assertive. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 13, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/assertive/modest
Assertive & Modest. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/assertive/modest>.
Modest or Assertive. 2016. Accessed August 13, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/assertive/modest.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "assertive" and "modest" have occurred on timeline