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initiative
[ ih-nish-uh-tiv, ih-nish-ee-uh- ]
noun
- an introductory act or step; leading action:
to take the initiative in making friends.
- readiness and ability in initiating action; enterprise:
to lack initiative.
Synonyms: , ,
- one's personal, responsible decision:
to act on one's own initiative.
- Government.
- 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. Compare referendum ( def 1 ).
- the general right or ability to present a new bill or measure, as in a legislature.
adjective
- 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.
- serving to set in motion or initiate; introductory; beginning:
Initiative steps were taken to stop manufacture of the drug.
initiative
/ -ˈnɪʃətɪv; ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv /
noun
- the first step or action of a matter; commencing move
he took the initiative
a peace initiative
- the right or power to begin or initiate something
he has the initiative
- the ability or attitude required to begin or initiate something
- government
- the right or power to introduce legislation, etc, in a legislative body
- the procedure by which citizens originate legislation, as in many American states and Switzerland
- on one's own initiativewithout being prompted
adjective
- of or concerning initiation or serving to initiate; initiatory
Derived Forms
- ˈپپ, adverb
Other Word Forms
- ·t··پ· adverb
- -·t··پ noun
- p··t··پ noun
- ܲi·t··پ adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of initiative1
Idioms and Phrases
see on one's own account (initiative) ; take the initiative .Example Sentences
California joined several other states Friday in suing the Trump administration over its demand that public schools eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives or risk losing federal funding.
Trump’s policy initiatives have also increased the risk of a U.S. recession combined with reaccelerating inflation, limiting the scale of potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.
Bonta similarly defended the legality of diversity initiatives in announcing the lawsuit Friday.
The memo comes after a report was shared with the mayor detailing recommendations from the transit agency about how to improve the city’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths.
The lawmaker will instead push for a ballot initiative, he said.
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Related Words
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.
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