Initiative
n.capable, energeticprofessional
Meaning 1
Readiness to begin useful action without waiting to be directed.
Reach for it when praising a person's self-starting judgment in work or service
Sofia showed initiative by checking the delivery route before the storm arrived.
Choose between these
4- everyday
strong inner motivation keeps the person moving toward results
not when Drive may pursue assigned goals without starting anything independently.
- warm
the person acts independently when tools or guidance are scarce
not when Resourcefulness is about finding means, not necessarily taking the first step.
- professional
proactivity
anticipating needs before they become problems is the exact behavior
not when The abstract business term feels cold in a personal card or recommendation.
- formal
energetic readiness to undertake difficult work deserves elevated praise
not when Enterprise can suggest commercial ambition rather than responsible self-starting.
Meaning 2
A new organized action intended to solve a problem or create improvement.
Reach for it when naming a program, campaign, or policy effort
The reading initiative pairs every new learner with a trained volunteer.
Choose between these
4- everyday
campaign
coordinated public action seeks a defined change
not when Campaign implies advocacy or outreach that many internal initiatives lack.
- warm
movement
many people share ownership of a broad social effort
not when Do not call a centrally managed organizational plan a movement.
- professional
program
the effort has an organized structure and continuing activities
not when A short campaign or first policy step may not qualify as a program.
- professional
project
work has a bounded goal, schedule, and deliverable
not when An initiative can span multiple projects or remain open-ended.
Said against
4- passivity
- inertia
- inaction
- closure
It naturally appears in
3- show initiative
New staff can show initiative by documenting a repeated problem and proposing a fix.
- take the initiative
Mara chose to take the initiative and invite both groups to meet.
- community initiative
The community initiative reopened two footpaths and trained local guides.
Where this comes from
- merriam-webster, noun sense 2: energy or aptitude displayed in beginning action opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English noun sense 2: a new development or fresh approach to a problem opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.