assert

/ə-ˈsərt/

Latin assertus, past participle of asserere, from ad- + serere to join

verb

  1. to state or declare positively and often forcefully or aggressively

  2. to compel or demand acceptance or recognition of (something, such as one's authority)

  3. to demonstrate the existence of

The suspect continued to assert his innocence.

… the confrontations that inevitably occur [between orangutans] when several males try to assert dominance …

assert declare affirm protest avow mean to state positively usually in anticipation of denial or objection. assert implies stating confidently without need for proof or regard for evidence. declare stresses open or public statement.

idiom

  1. to become apparent : to start to be clearly seen or known

Doubts about the value of the work began to assert themselves.