diff --git a/test/addons-napi/test_constructor/test.js b/test/addons-napi/test_constructor/test.js
index b1762c2253b99a..92440bf49e74c1 100644
--- a/test/addons-napi/test_constructor/test.js
+++ b/test/addons-napi/test_constructor/test.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteValue, 1);
 test_object.readwriteValue = 2;
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteValue, 2);
 
-assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyValue = 3; });
+assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyValue = 3; }, TypeError);
 
 assert.ok(test_object.hiddenValue);
 
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ assert.ok(propertyNames.indexOf('readonlyAccessor2') < 0);
 test_object.readwriteAccessor1 = 1;
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteAccessor1, 1);
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readonlyAccessor1, 1);
-assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor1 = 3; });
+assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor1 = 3; }, TypeError);
 test_object.readwriteAccessor2 = 2;
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteAccessor2, 2);
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readonlyAccessor2, 2);
-assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor2 = 3; });
+assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor2 = 3; }, TypeError);
diff --git a/test/addons-napi/test_properties/test.js b/test/addons-napi/test_properties/test.js
index fb0c19ceedb086..868c603879f1a2 100644
--- a/test/addons-napi/test_properties/test.js
+++ b/test/addons-napi/test_properties/test.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteValue, 1);
 test_object.readwriteValue = 2;
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteValue, 2);
 
-assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyValue = 3; });
+assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyValue = 3; }, TypeError);
 
 assert.ok(test_object.hiddenValue);
 
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ assert.ok(propertyNames.indexOf('readonlyAccessor2') < 0);
 test_object.readwriteAccessor1 = 1;
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteAccessor1, 1);
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readonlyAccessor1, 1);
-assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor1 = 3; });
+assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor1 = 3; }, TypeError);
 test_object.readwriteAccessor2 = 2;
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readwriteAccessor2, 2);
 assert.strictEqual(test_object.readonlyAccessor2, 2);
-assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor2 = 3; });
+assert.throws(() => { test_object.readonlyAccessor2 = 3; }, TypeError);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert-checktag.js b/test/parallel/test-assert-checktag.js
index ae409c7250350e..c050beeed6f670 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert-checktag.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert-checktag.js
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ function re(literals, ...values) {
   }
   assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(fakeGlobal, global));
   // Message will be truncated anyway, don't validate
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(fakeGlobal, global));
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(fakeGlobal, global),
+                assert.AssertionError);
 }
 
 { // At the moment process has its own type tag
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ function re(literals, ...values) {
   }
   assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(fakeProcess, process));
   // Message will be truncated anyway, don't validate
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(fakeProcess, process));
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(fakeProcess, process),
+                assert.AssertionError);
 }
 /* eslint-enable */
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert-deep.js b/test/parallel/test-assert-deep.js
index 46fec2a512f591..70f538d91912e4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert-deep.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert-deep.js
@@ -26,18 +26,21 @@ function re(literals, ...values) {
 const arr = new Uint8Array([120, 121, 122, 10]);
 const buf = Buffer.from(arr);
 // They have different [[Prototype]]
-assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(arr, buf));
+assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(arr, buf),
+              re`${arr} deepStrictEqual ${buf}`);
 assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(arr, buf));
 
 const buf2 = Buffer.from(arr);
 buf2.prop = 1;
 
-assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(buf2, buf));
+assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(buf2, buf),
+              re`${buf2} deepStrictEqual ${buf}`);
 assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(buf2, buf));
 
 const arr2 = new Uint8Array([120, 121, 122, 10]);
 arr2.prop = 5;
-assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(arr, arr2));
+assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(arr, arr2),
+              re`${arr} deepStrictEqual ${arr2}`);
 assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(arr, arr2));
 
 const date = new Date('2016');
@@ -121,19 +124,23 @@ function assertDeepAndStrictEqual(a, b) {
 }
 
 function assertNotDeepOrStrict(a, b) {
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepEqual(a, b));
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(a, b));
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepEqual(a, b), re`${a} deepEqual ${b}`);
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(a, b),
+                re`${a} deepStrictEqual ${b}`);
 
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepEqual(b, a));
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(b, a));
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepEqual(b, a), re`${b} deepEqual ${a}`);
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(b, a),
+                re`${b} deepStrictEqual ${a}`);
 }
 
 function assertOnlyDeepEqual(a, b) {
   assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(a, b));
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(a, b));
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(a, b),
+                re`${a} deepStrictEqual ${b}`);
 
   assert.doesNotThrow(() => assert.deepEqual(b, a));
-  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(b, a));
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(b, a),
+                re`${b} deepStrictEqual ${a}`);
 }
 
 // es6 Maps and Sets
@@ -232,10 +239,13 @@ assertDeepAndStrictEqual(
   assertNotDeepOrStrict(m1, m2);
 }
 
-assert.deepEqual(new Map([[1, 1]]), new Map([[1, '1']]));
-assert.throws(() =>
-  assert.deepStrictEqual(new Map([[1, 1]]), new Map([[1, '1']]))
-);
+{
+  const map1 = new Map([[1, 1]]);
+  const map2 = new Map([[1, '1']]);
+  assert.deepEqual(map1, map2);
+  assert.throws(() => assert.deepStrictEqual(map1, map2),
+                re`${map1} deepStrictEqual ${map2}`);
+}
 
 {
   // Two equivalent sets / maps with different key/values applied shouldn't be
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert.js b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
index c84d59623272e9..89a54df81a705c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
@@ -274,10 +274,12 @@ assert.doesNotThrow(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual, {a: 4}, {a: 4}));
 assert.doesNotThrow(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual,
                               {a: 4, b: '2'},
                               {a: 4, b: '2'}));
-assert.throws(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual, [4], ['4']));
+assert.throws(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual, [4], ['4']),
+              /^AssertionError: \[ 4 ] deepStrictEqual \[ '4' ]$/);
 assert.throws(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual, {a: 4}, {a: 4, b: true}),
-              a.AssertionError);
-assert.throws(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual, ['a'], {0: 'a'}));
+              /^AssertionError: { a: 4 } deepStrictEqual { a: 4, b: true }$/);
+assert.throws(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual, ['a'], {0: 'a'}),
+              /^AssertionError: \[ 'a' ] deepStrictEqual { '0': 'a' }$/);
 //(although not necessarily the same order),
 assert.doesNotThrow(makeBlock(a.deepStrictEqual,
                               {a: 4, b: '1'},
@@ -354,9 +356,11 @@ function thrower(errorConstructor) {
 assert.throws(makeBlock(thrower, a.AssertionError),
               a.AssertionError, 'message');
 assert.throws(makeBlock(thrower, a.AssertionError), a.AssertionError);
+// eslint-disable-next-line assert-throws-arguments
 assert.throws(makeBlock(thrower, a.AssertionError));
 
 // if not passing an error, catch all.
+// eslint-disable-next-line assert-throws-arguments
 assert.throws(makeBlock(thrower, TypeError));
 
 // when passing a type, only catch errors of the appropriate type
@@ -565,6 +569,7 @@ testAssertionMessage({a: NaN, b: Infinity, c: -Infinity},
 {
   let threw = false;
   try {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line assert-throws-arguments
     assert.throws(function() {
       assert.ifError(null);
     });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-repl-context.js b/test/parallel/test-repl-context.js
index 2287a247d81bb2..a2f04214311c13 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-repl-context.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-repl-context.js
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ function testContext(repl) {
   assert.strictEqual(context.global, context);
 
   // ensure that the repl console instance does not have a setter
-  assert.throws(() => context.console = 'foo');
+  assert.throws(() => context.console = 'foo', TypeError);
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-new-script-this-context.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-new-script-this-context.js
index 7ddb2110085ee4..dfa9b1130b1f55 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-new-script-this-context.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-new-script-this-context.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ console.error('thrown error');
 script = new Script('throw new Error(\'test\');');
 assert.throws(function() {
   script.runInThisContext(script);
-});
+}, /^Error: test$/);
 
 global.hello = 5;
 script = new Script('hello = 2');