affirmative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Congress made the affirmative decision to broaden its grant of birthright citizenship from the earlier statute.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

With this understanding of federal primacy in foreign affairs, the Supreme Court has pre-empted state laws even in the absence of any affirmative actions by the president or Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

The judge said the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action “certainly does not proscribe any particular classroom speech, or relate at all to curricular choices.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

While diversity programs have gone by a variety of names over the decades — nondiscrimination, affirmative action, DEI — they all trace their roots to the Civil Rights Movement, which lasted from 1954 to 1968.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2026

Maybe if I knew what affirmative action was I’d feel uncomfortable, too.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden