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passive

/ˈpæs.ɪv/noun, adjective2 syllables

Passive means: lacking in energy or will.

Synonyms for passive23

noun, as in the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb

passive voice

adjective, as in lacking in energy or will

inactive, hands-off, resistless, unresisting, supine

adjective, as in peacefully resistant in response to injustice

peaceful, nonviolent

also used for passive

idle, abeyant, at rest, cessant, dormant, dull, fallow, hibernating, compliant, pliant, submissive, amenable, biddable, complaisant, controllable

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Opposites of passive

active

What does passive mean?4

adjective

1

lacking in energy or will“Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself”

2

peacefully resistant in response to injustice“passive resistance”

3

expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb“academics seem to favor passive sentences”

noun

1

the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb“‘The ball was thrown by the boy’ uses the passive voice”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with passive?1

two syllables

massive
Show 40 near rhymes
havingaskingactiveestablishedplanningstandingtrafficactingunderstandingadvantagemagicdemocraticspanishclassicfantasticaddingpassinglaughingcatholicattractiveplasticdancinghangingoutstandingestablishromanticdramaticlandingorganicatlantichandlingvalidpatrickautomaticbankingattracteddynamicattackingactedpanic

Passive in a sentence

  • Observation is a passive science, experimentation an active science.shekitten
  • I'm proactive in shaping my reality, rather than being a passive observer.Nuel
  • Internally, to be actively passive; externally to be passively active.pjer
  • The passive man seldom, if ever, expresses himself.unknown
  • I have excellent passive knowledge of many foreign languages, but almost no active knowledge.mailohilohi
  • Why are there so many sentences written in passive voice?DJ_Saidez
  • Is it true that passive smoking is more harmful than active smoking?felidad
  • TV is harmful in that it keeps your mind in a passive state.unknown

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of passive

as a noun

plural
passives