initiative

/ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/
noun
  1. The ability to make decisions and take action without being told what to do.
    • The company looks for employees who have initiative and can solve problems on their own.
    • He lacked the initiative to start his own project.
    • She showed great initiative by organizing the team meeting herself.
  2. A new plan or process to achieve a particular goal or solve a problem.
    • The government's health initiative aims to encourage more people to exercise.
    • The school launched a new initiative to reduce waste.
    • Our community started a recycling initiative last year.
  3. The power or opportunity to act before others do.
    • She seized the initiative by asking the first question.
    • The team took the initiative and scored first.
    • In chess, having the initiative means you control the game.
What does "initiative" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean