initiative
Americannoun
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an introductory act or step; leading action.
to take the initiative in making friends.
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readiness and ability in initiating action; enterprise.
to lack initiative.
- Synonyms:
- dynamism, forcefulness, leadership
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one's personal, responsible decision.
to act on one's own initiative.
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Government.
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a procedure by which a specified number of voters may propose a statute, constitutional amendment, or ordinance, and compel a popular vote on its adoption.
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the general right or ability to present a new bill or measure, as in a legislature.
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adjective
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of or relating to formal admission or acceptance into a club or other group; signifying an initiation.
The secret society's initiative events are best left undescribed.
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serving to set in motion or initiate; introductory; beginning.
Initiative steps were taken to stop manufacture of the drug.
noun
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the first step or action of a matter; commencing move
he took the initiative
a peace initiative
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the right or power to begin or initiate something
he has the initiative
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the ability or attitude required to begin or initiate something
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government
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the right or power to introduce legislation, etc, in a legislative body
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the procedure by which citizens originate legislation, as in many American states and Switzerland
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without being prompted
adjective
Other Word Forms
- initiatively adverb
- self-initiative noun
- superinitiative noun
- uninitiative adjective
Etymology
Origin of initiative
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.
Ultimately, she says, the initiative failed and none of the 1600 families got any money.
From BBC
It added that it would scale back some monetization initiatives to boost “top-of-funnel user growth.”
From Barron's
The My Voice, My Choice group behind the initiative has hailed the decision as a victory for women in Europe and a political commitment to women's rights.
From BBC
Mr. Wins expanded the school’s diversity initiatives and removed a statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson from campus, but his tenure was marked by declining enrollment.
Waitrose said its initiative was aimed at safeguarding "the long-term health and sustainability of our oceans", criticising government quotas as still too high.
From Barron's
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.
