passive Definition
- 1accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance
- 2not 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
Idioms Using passive
Example
He was just a passive observer during the argument.
Example
She played a passive role in the project.
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
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.
Example
Investing in real estate can provide a source of passive income.
Origins of passive
from Latin 'passivus', from 'pati' meaning 'suffer'
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.