affirmative
affirming or assenting; asserting the truth, validity, or fact of something.
expressing agreement or consent; assenting: an affirmative reply.
positive; not negative.
Logic. noting a proposition in which a property of a subject is affirmed, as “All men are happy.”
something that affirms or asserts; a positive statement or proposition; affirmation.
a reply indicating assent, as Yes or I do.
a manner or mode that indicates assent: a reply in the affirmative.
the side, as in a debate, that affirms or defends a statement that the opposite side denies or attacks: to speak for the affirmative.
(used to indicate agreement, assent, etc.): “Is this the right way to Lake George?” “Affirmative.”
Origin of affirmative
1Other words from affirmative
- af·firm·a·tive·ly, adverb
- o·ver·af·firm·a·tive, adjective
- o·ver·af·firm·a·tive·ly, adverb
- pre·af·firm·a·tive, adjective
- qua·si-af·firm·a·tive, adjective
- qua·si-af·firm·a·tive·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use affirmative in a sentence
Arguments over the Fairness Doctrine often serve as proxy debates for larger issues, including the legitimacy of government’s affirmative duty to protect positive freedoms.
The Fairness Doctrine won’t solve our problems — but it can foster needed debate | Victor Pickard | February 4, 2021 | Washington PostThere’s no law that protected us, or affirmative action, that doesn’t even exist, right, in Germany.
And, while it does require that individuals give affirmative express consent before sensitive data can be processed or transferred to a third party, the definition is less broad than what’s in COPRA.
Cheat sheet: What to expect in state and federal privacy regulation in 2021 | Kate Kaye | February 1, 2021 | DigidaySteps have been taken in recent decades to begin addressing this legacy in earnest, from anti-discrimination laws to affirmative action efforts.
The U.S. Capitol Riot Was Years in the Making. Here's Why America Is So Divided | Ian Bremmer | January 16, 2021 | TimeIf this limited deal does pass, it’s likely they’ll abruptly pivot to an affirmative economic message, suddenly extolling all they’re doing for the recovery.
A disgusting GOP attack ad shows what’s really at stake in Georgia | Greg Sargent | December 18, 2020 | Washington Post
Some three dozen had answered affirmatively to both and were deemed “fever with travel” jobs.
And, until Congress acts affirmatively, Cole said the DOJ will be dealing with these issues as they come, on a case-by-case basis.
All committee meetings would be open unless the committee affirmatively voted to close it.
Memo: The Aaron Sorkin Model of Political Discourse Doesn't Actually Work | Megan McArdle | April 23, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen Guy answered affirmatively, the stranger brought Guy to his apartment to strum some tunes for his wife.
“Teller B responded affirmatively in Spanish,” the criminal complaint reports.
The bailiff nodded affirmatively, crossed the drawbridge and entered the donjon.
The Pilgrim's Shell or Fergan the Quarryman | Eugne SueM. Regnard says affirmatively, that the grey squirrels of Lapland are the same animals as the French squirrels.
Buffon's Natural History. Volume VII (of 10) | Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon"That caballero and the persons of his suite," answered the old chief, affirmatively nodding his head.
The Flying Horseman | Gustave AimardHer husband evidently had no difficulty in following her train of thought, for he nodded once more, affirmatively.
The Turmoil | Booth TarkingtonFinally she enquired whether he knew how a will should be drawn up, and that, too, he answered affirmatively.
The Bride of the Nile, Complete | Georg Ebers
British Dictionary definitions for affirmative
/ (əˈfɜːmətɪv) /
confirming or asserting something as true or valid: an affirmative statement
indicating agreement or assent: an affirmative answer
logic
(of a categorial proposition) affirming the satisfaction by the subject of the predicate, as in all birds have feathers; some men are married
not containing negation: Compare negative (def. 12)
a positive assertion
a word or phrase stating agreement or assent, such as yes (esp in the phrase answer in the affirmative)
logic an affirmative proposition
the affirmative mainly US and Canadian the side in a debate that supports the proposition
military a signal codeword used to express assent or confirmation
Derived forms of affirmative
- affirmatively, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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