diff --git a/src/libcore/macros.rs b/src/libcore/macros.rs
index 43868d124a22..e3207a0a86c4 100644
--- a/src/libcore/macros.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/macros.rs
@@ -32,8 +32,19 @@ macro_rules! panic {
 
 /// Ensure that a boolean expression is `true` at runtime.
 ///
-/// This will invoke the `panic!` macro if the provided expression cannot be
-/// evaluated to `true` at runtime.
+/// This will ensure the termination of the program if the provided expression
+/// cannot be evaluated to `true` at runtime by means of an unrecoverable error
+/// (not necessarily a `panic!`, can also be an `abort`).
+///
+/// Assertions are always checked in both debug and release builds, and cannot
+/// be disabled.
+///
+/// Unsafe code relies on `assert!` to enforce run-time invariants that, if
+/// violated could lead to unsafety.
+///
+/// Other use-cases of `assert!` include
+/// [testing](https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/testing.html) and enforcing
+/// run-time invariants in safe code (whose violation cannot result in unsafety).
 ///
 /// This macro has a second version, where a custom panic message can be provided.
 ///
@@ -123,6 +134,13 @@ macro_rules! assert_eq {
 /// expensive to be present in a release build but may be helpful during
 /// development.
 ///
+/// An unchecked assertion allows a program in an inconsistent state to keep
+/// running, which might have unexpected consequences but does not introduce
+/// unsafety as long as this only happens in safe code. The performance cost
+/// of assertions, is however, not measurable in general. Replacing `assert!`
+/// with `debug_assert!` is thus only encourage after thorough profiling, and
+/// more importantly, only in safe code!
+///
 /// # Examples
 ///
 /// ```