diff --git a/base/client.jl b/base/client.jl
index 664c7b65323da..d66abfb7a7399 100644
--- a/base/client.jl
+++ b/base/client.jl
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ function init_parallel()
     global PGRP
     global LPROC
     LPROC.id = 1
-    assert(length(PGRP.workers) == 0)
+    @assert length(PGRP.workers) == 0
     register_worker(LPROC)
 end
 
diff --git a/base/deprecated.jl b/base/deprecated.jl
index 8d5b220ef0f82..7d5d888f5054a 100644
--- a/base/deprecated.jl
+++ b/base/deprecated.jl
@@ -374,6 +374,10 @@ end
 
 @deprecate ntuple(n::Integer, f::Function) ntuple(f, n)
 
+# 8856
+
+@deprecate assert(x) @assert x
+
 # 0.4 discontinued functions
 
 @noinline function subtypetree(x::DataType, level=-1)
diff --git a/base/docs/helpdb.jl b/base/docs/helpdb.jl
index ae7b8116a2a56..47a0864237089 100644
--- a/base/docs/helpdb.jl
+++ b/base/docs/helpdb.jl
@@ -2248,16 +2248,6 @@ Applies a function to the preceding argument. This allows for easy function chai
 """
 Base.(:(|>))
 
-doc"""
-```rst
-::
-           assert(cond)
-
-Throw an ``AssertionError`` if ``cond`` is false. Also available as the macro ``@assert expr``.
-```
-"""
-assert
-
 doc"""
 ```rst
 ::
@@ -12099,7 +12089,7 @@ doc"""
 ::
            @assert cond [text]
 
-Throw an ``AssertionError`` if ``cond`` is false. Preferred syntax for writing assertions.
+Throw an ``AssertionError`` if ``cond`` is false.
 ```
 """
 :@assert
diff --git a/base/error.jl b/base/error.jl
index ae382a78bdd14..d5e3efc12a75f 100644
--- a/base/error.jl
+++ b/base/error.jl
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ kwerr(kw) = error("unrecognized keyword argument \"", kw, "\"")
 
 systemerror(p, b::Bool) = b ? throw(Main.Base.SystemError(string(p))) : nothing
 
-## assertion functions and macros ##
+## assertion macro ##
 
-assert(x) = x ? nothing : throw(Main.Base.AssertionError())
 macro assert(ex, msgs...)
     msg = isempty(msgs) ? ex : msgs[1]
     if !isempty(msgs) && isa(msg, Expr)
diff --git a/base/exports.jl b/base/exports.jl
index 33170d1038916..eeade1c0e4225 100644
--- a/base/exports.jl
+++ b/base/exports.jl
@@ -1048,7 +1048,6 @@ export
     now,
 
 # errors
-    assert,
     backtrace,
     catch_backtrace,
     error,
diff --git a/base/inference.jl b/base/inference.jl
index e141dccc5c2c6..2093120f8b49b 100644
--- a/base/inference.jl
+++ b/base/inference.jl
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ end
 # arrays of types, or `nothing`.
 function precise_container_types(args, types, vtypes, sv)
     n = length(args)
-    assert(n == length(types))
+    @assert n == length(types)
     result = cell(n)
     for i = 1:n
         ai = args[i]; ti = types[i]
@@ -1432,7 +1432,7 @@ function typeinf_uncached(linfo::LambdaStaticData, atypes::ANY, sparams::SimpleV
 
     args = f_argnames(ast)
     la = length(args)
-    assert(is(ast.head,:lambda))
+    @assert is(ast.head,:lambda)
     vinflist = ast.args[2][1]::Array{Any,1}
     vars = map(vi->vi[1], vinflist)
     body = (ast.args[3].args)::Array{Any,1}
@@ -2408,7 +2408,7 @@ function inlineable(f::ANY, e::Expr, atype::ANY, sv::StaticVarInfo, enclosing_as
                     if isvarargtype(methitype)
                         methitype = methitype.parameters[1]
                     else
-                        @assert i==nm
+                        @assert i == nm
                     end
                 end
             end
diff --git a/base/multi.jl b/base/multi.jl
index 7a24852aa8d66..3ecdd0265543a 100644
--- a/base/multi.jl
+++ b/base/multi.jl
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ end
 const PGRP = ProcessGroup([])
 
 function topology(t)
-    assert(t in [:all_to_all, :master_slave, :custom])
+    @assert (t in [:all_to_all, :master_slave, :custom])
     if (PGRP.topology==t) || ((myid()==1) && (nprocs()==1)) || (myid() > 1)
         PGRP.topology = t
     else
@@ -1059,9 +1059,9 @@ function init_worker(manager::ClusterManager=DefaultClusterManager())
     disable_threaded_libs()
 
     # Since our pid has yet to be set, ensure no RemoteRefs have been created or addprocs() called.
-    assert(nprocs() <= 1)
-    assert(isempty(PGRP.refs))
-    assert(isempty(client_refs))
+    @assert nprocs() <= 1
+    @assert isempty(PGRP.refs)
+    @assert isempty(client_refs)
 
     # System is started in head node mode, cleanup entries related to the same
     empty!(PGRP.workers)
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ end
 
 function create_worker(manager, wconfig)
     # only node 1 can add new nodes, since nobody else has the full list of address:port
-    assert(LPROC.id == 1)
+    @assert LPROC.id == 1
 
     # initiate a connect. Does not wait for connection completion in case of TCP.
     w = Worker()
@@ -1591,7 +1591,7 @@ function timedwait(testcb::Function, secs::Float64; pollint::Float64=0.1)
 end
 
 function interrupt(pid::Integer)
-    assert(myid() == 1)
+    @assert myid() == 1
     w = map_pid_wrkr[pid]
     if isa(w, Worker)
         manage(w.manager, w.id, w.config, :interrupt)
@@ -1600,7 +1600,7 @@ end
 interrupt(pids::Integer...) = interrupt([pids...])
 
 function interrupt(pids::AbstractVector=workers())
-    assert(myid() == 1)
+    @assert myid() == 1
     @sync begin
         for pid in pids
             @async interrupt(pid)
diff --git a/base/process.jl b/base/process.jl
index 2034a3c5971e7..28ca2ee8daef6 100644
--- a/base/process.jl
+++ b/base/process.jl
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ end
 
 const SIGPIPE = 13
 function test_success(proc::Process)
-    assert(process_exited(proc))
+    @assert process_exited(proc)
     if proc.exitcode < 0
         #TODO: this codepath is not currently tested
         throw(UVError("could not start process $(string(proc.cmd))", proc.exitcode))
diff --git a/base/sparse/cholmod.jl b/base/sparse/cholmod.jl
index cc47734a91137..6db5204d025c0 100644
--- a/base/sparse/cholmod.jl
+++ b/base/sparse/cholmod.jl
@@ -1322,7 +1322,7 @@ function diag{Tv}(F::Factor{Tv})
         xv = f.x
         for j in 1:f.n
             jj = unsafe_load(c0, j) + 1
-            assert(unsafe_load(r0, jj) == j - 1)
+            @assert unsafe_load(r0, jj) == j - 1
             res[j] = unsafe_load(xv, jj)
         end
     end
diff --git a/base/sysimg.jl b/base/sysimg.jl
index 4e3590518c9e0..3c29187c70a96 100644
--- a/base/sysimg.jl
+++ b/base/sysimg.jl
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ include("intfuncs.jl")
 include("nullable.jl")
 
 # I/O
+include("show.jl")
 include("task.jl")
 include("lock.jl")
-include("show.jl")
 include("stream.jl")
 include("socket.jl")
 include("stat.jl")
diff --git a/base/task.jl b/base/task.jl
index bec12a1f7be0b..d1527fc5362a6 100644
--- a/base/task.jl
+++ b/base/task.jl
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ function wait()
             return result
         end
     end
-    assert(false)
+    @assert false
 end
 
 function pause()
diff --git a/examples/clustermanager/0mq/ZMQCM.jl b/examples/clustermanager/0mq/ZMQCM.jl
index d74b31cbd85eb..aa0355229b37d 100644
--- a/examples/clustermanager/0mq/ZMQCM.jl
+++ b/examples/clustermanager/0mq/ZMQCM.jl
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function recv_data()
     try
         #println("On $(manager.zid_self) waiting to recv message")
         zid = parse(Int,bytestring(ZMQ.recv(manager.sub)))
-        assert(zid == manager.zid_self)
+        @assert zid == manager.zid_self
 
         from_zid = parse(Int,bytestring(ZMQ.recv(manager.sub)))
         mtype = bytestring(ZMQ.recv(manager.sub))
diff --git a/examples/clustermanager/simple/test_simple.jl b/examples/clustermanager/simple/test_simple.jl
index 42268d58514af..9184d590be81b 100644
--- a/examples/clustermanager/simple/test_simple.jl
+++ b/examples/clustermanager/simple/test_simple.jl
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ cmanpath = joinpath(dirname(@__FILE__), "UnixDomainCM.jl")
 include(cmanpath)
 
 npids = addprocs(UnixDomainCM(2))
-assert(length(npids) == 2)
+@assert length(npids) == 2
 test_pids = [remotecall_fetch(x, myid) for x in npids]
-assert(npids == test_pids)
+@assert npids == test_pids
 rmprocs(npids; waitfor=1.0)
 
 exit(0)
diff --git a/examples/juliatypes.jl b/examples/juliatypes.jl
index 2b49a75f8596e..b1f36929d8d1d 100644
--- a/examples/juliatypes.jl
+++ b/examples/juliatypes.jl
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ extend(d::Dict, k, v) = (x = copy(d); x[k]=v; x)
 subst(t::TagT,    env) = t===AnyT ? t : TagT(t.name, map(x->subst(x,env), t.params), t.vararg)
 subst(t::UnionT,  env) = UnionT(subst(t.a,env), subst(t.b,env))
 subst(t::Var,     env) = get(env, t, t)
-subst(t::UnionAllT, env) = (assert(!haskey(env, t.var));
+subst(t::UnionAllT, env) = (@assert !haskey(env, t.var);
                             newVar = Var(t.var.name, subst(t.var.lb, env), subst(t.var.ub, env));
                             UnionAllT(newVar, subst(t.T, extend(env, t.var, newVar))))
 subst(t, env) = t
diff --git a/test/misc.jl b/test/misc.jl
index 1384318cf50c1..f29c6de0e918a 100644
--- a/test/misc.jl
+++ b/test/misc.jl
@@ -28,19 +28,6 @@ let bt = backtrace()
     end
 end
 
-# test assert() method
-@test_throws AssertionError assert(false)
-let res = assert(true)
-    @test res === nothing
-end
-let
-    ex = @test_throws AssertionError begin
-        assert(false)
-        error("unexpected")
-    end
-    @test isempty(ex.msg)
-end
-
 # test @assert macro
 @test_throws AssertionError (@assert 1 == 2)
 @test_throws AssertionError (@assert false)
diff --git a/test/parallel.jl b/test/parallel.jl
index 97ce7256f3d6a..f59684216b43d 100644
--- a/test/parallel.jl
+++ b/test/parallel.jl
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ for p in procs(d)
     idxf = first(idxes_in_p)
     idxl = last(idxes_in_p)
     d[idxf] = Float64(idxf)
-    rv = remotecall_fetch(p, (D,idxf,idxl) -> begin assert(D[idxf] == Float64(idxf)); D[idxl] = Float64(idxl); D[idxl];  end, d,idxf,idxl)
+    rv = remotecall_fetch(p, (D,idxf,idxl) -> begin @assert D[idxf] == Float64(idxf); D[idxl] = Float64(idxl); D[idxl];  end, d,idxf,idxl)
     @test d[idxl] == rv
 end