Select the meaning of the capital word in this sentence: Despite the leadership problems that plagued the corporation, the CEO was quick to ASSERT his authority to ensure that business continued as usual.

The word "ASSERT" in the sentence means to state or express firmly. In this context, the CEO is confidently expressing his authority to ensure that the corporation runs smoothly despite the existing leadership issues. The idea here is about maintaining or establishing his control and influence over the company, which ties closely to the meaning of "maintain." This demonstrates the CEO's intention to keep the operations on track by reinforcing his role and authority during challenging times. As such, maintaining authority in this scenario reflects the significance of his actions to stabilize the organization's functioning.