- initiative
- noun1 new planADJECTIVE▪ fresh, new▪
fresh initiatives to find a peaceful end to the conflict
▪ innovative, pioneering▪pioneering initiatives in bioengineering
▪ current, latest, recent▪ proposed▪ ongoing▪ important, major▪ welcome▪ successful▪ practical▪ bold, exciting▪ private▪ collaborative, cooperative, joint▪ grass-roots▪ global, international, local, national, regional, statewide (AmE)▪ federal (AmE), government, presidential (AmE)▪ strategic▪ business, e-business, e-commerce, marketing▪ diplomatic, economic, legislative, peace, policy, political▪ safety, training▪ development, research▪ education, educational, health▪ conservation, environmental▪ faith-based (esp. AmE)▪ community-based (esp. AmE)▪ outreach▪ reform▪ ballot (AmE)… OF INITIATIVES▪ range, seriesVERB + INITIATIVE▪ undertake▪The research initiative is being undertaken by a group of environmentalists.
▪ plan▪ develop▪ announce, unveil▪ create, implement, introduce, launch, set up, start▪The government has launched a new policy initiative.
▪ be involved in▪Ten schools have been involved in the initiative.
▪ become involved in, get involved in▪ pursue▪ expand▪ lead, spearhead▪ approve, pass▪ oppose▪ defeat, reject▪The peace initiative was rejected out of hand.
▪ fund, sponsor▪a peace initiative sponsored by the Organization of African Unity
▪ back, endorse, support▪The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger.
▪ promote, push▪ welcome▪We welcome the government's initiative to help the homeless.
▪ encourageINITIATIVE + VERB▪ be aimed at sth, be designed to▪a local initiative aimed at economic regeneration
▪an initiative designed to promote collaborative research
▪ seek to do sth▪ focus on sth▪ include sth, involve sth, relate to sth▪ fail, founder▪The initiative foundered because there was no market interest in redevelopment.
PREPOSITION▪ initiative against▪a new initiative against car theft
▪ initiative by▪the latest initiative by the UN Secretary General
▪ initiative for▪an initiative for peace and human rights
▪ initiative on▪the government's major new initiative on crime
2 ability to decide/act independentlyADJECTIVE▪ great, real▪ individual, personal, private▪It is a very hierarchical company and there's little place for individual initiative.
VERB + INITIATIVE▪ have▪He had the initiative to ask what time the last train left.
▪ display, show▪ act on your own, use, work on your own▪He acted on his own initiative and wasn't following orders.
▪Don't ask me what you should do all the time. Use your initiative!
▪ encourage, promote▪ stifle▪Raising taxes on small businesses will stifle initiative.
PREPOSITION▪ on sb's initiative▪The project was set up on the initiative of a local landowner.
▪ initiative in▪Some scientists show little initiative in applying their knowledge.
PHRASES▪ a lack of initiative, on your own initiative▪In an unprecedented action, the army, on its own initiative, arrested seven civilians.
3 the initiative opportunity to gain an advantageVERB + THE INITIATIVE▪ have, hold▪After their latest setback, the rebel forces no longer hold the initiative.
▪ gain, seize, take▪ maintain, retain▪ regain▪She then regained the initiative in winning the third game.
▪ loseTHE INITIATIVE + VERB▪ come from sb/sth, lie with sb▪The initiative to reopen negotiations came from Moscow.
PREPOSITION▪ initiative in▪She took the initiative in asking the board to conduct an enquiry.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
