passive

[ˈpæsɪv]

passive Definition

• 1. accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance
• 2. not active or not participating actively

Using passive: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "passive" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  She was very passive during the meeting and didn't contribute much.

• Example

  The sentence is in the passive voice.

• Example

  He has a passive interest in the stock market.

• Example

  The company's passive income comes from its real estate investments.

passive Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for passive

• compliant
• docile
• unresisting
• inactive
• submissive

Antonyms for passive

• active
• assertive
• aggressive
• energetic
• dynamic

Idioms Using passive

• a passive observer

  someone who watches something happen without taking part in it

  Example

  He was just a passive observer during the argument.

• a passive role

  a role in which one does not take an active part

  Example

  She played a passive role in the project.

• a passive investment

  an investment in which the investor does not take an active role in managing the investment

  Example

  He prefers passive investments like index funds.

Phrases with passive

• passive smoking

  the inhalation of smoke from other people's cigarettes, cigars, or pipes

  Example

  Passive smoking can be harmful to your health.

• passive-aggressive

  of or denoting a type of behavior or personality characterized by indirect resistance to the demands of others and an avoidance of direct confrontation

  Example

  Her passive-aggressive behavior was making everyone uncomfortable.

• passive income

  income received on a regular basis, with little effort required to maintain it

  Example

  Investing in real estate can provide a source of passive income.

Origins of passive

from Latin 'passivus', from 'pati' meaning 'suffer'

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Summary: passive in Brief

The term 'passive' [ˈpæsɪv] refers to accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance. It can describe people, behaviors, or voice. 'Passive' extends into phrases like 'passive smoking,' and idioms like 'a passive observer,' denoting someone who watches something happen without taking part in it.