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Initiative: meaning, definitions and examples

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initiative

 

[ ɪˈnɪʃətɪv ]

Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

take the initiative

the ability to assess and initiate things independently; the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do

Synonyms

drive, enterprise, ingenuity, leadership

Examples of usage

  • He took the initiative to organize a charity event.
  • She always shows great initiative in her work.
Context #2 | Noun

political initiative

a plan or program intended to resolve a problem or improve a situation; a new idea or method that is proposed or implemented

Synonyms

campaign, project, scheme, strategy

Examples of usage

  • The government announced a new initiative to tackle unemployment.
  • This initiative aims to promote environmental sustainability.
Context #3 | Noun

business initiative

a new action or strategy to improve a company's performance or market position; a proactive approach to achieving business goals

Synonyms

endeavor, enterprise, undertaking, venture

Examples of usage

  • The company launched a marketing initiative to attract more customers.
  • Our team proposed an initiative to streamline the production process.

Translations

Translations of the word "initiative" in other languages:

🇵🇹 iniciativa

🇮🇳 पहल

🇩🇪 Initiative

🇮🇩 inisiatif

🇺🇦 ініціатива

🇵🇱 inicjatywa

🇯🇵 イニシアチブ

🇫🇷 initiative

🇪🇸 iniciativa

🇹🇷 inisiyatif

🇰🇷 주도권

🇸🇦 مبادرة

🇨🇿 iniciativa

🇸🇰 iniciatíva

🇨🇳 倡议

🇸🇮 pobuda

🇮🇸 frumkvæði

🇰🇿 бастама

🇬🇪 ინიციატივა

🇦🇿 təklif

🇲🇽 iniciativa

Etymology

The word 'initiative' originated from the Latin word 'initiativus', meaning 'to begin'. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-17th century. The concept of taking initiative has been valued throughout history as a quality of leadership and proactivity. In modern usage, 'initiative' is associated with the ability to start things independently and drive positive change.

See also: initiable, initiating, initiatives, uninitiated.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,899, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.