initiatives

Noun

initiative (countable and uncountable, plural initiatives)

1. A beginning; a first move.
   • Pastor Moses says the initiative was born of pragmatism, compassion toward all Sri Lankans, and a desire to model the same generosity he experienced as a young person. […] Not only are all religions welcome at the Voice Community Kitchen, but experts also say such initiatives could be key to...2023 January 6, Munza Mushtaq, “In Sri Lanka, Pastor Moses shows the power of a free lunch”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 26 Jun 2026
2. A new development; a fresh approach to something; a new way of dealing with a problem.
3. The ability to act first or on one's own.
   • The theoretical source, or rather justification, of that machine was Lenin's conviction that the party, by virtue of its scientific knowledge of society, is the one legitimate source of political initiative.1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in...
4. An issue to be voted on, brought to the ballot by a sufficient number of signatures from among the voting public.

See all 6 meanings of initiative