Definition of PASSIVE (original) (raw)
1
a(1)
: acted upon by an external agency
(2)
: receptive to outside impressions or influences
b(1)
: asserting that the grammatical subject of a verb is subjected to or affected by the action represented by that verb
(2)
: containing or yielding a passive verb form
(2)
: tending not to take an active or dominant part
d
: induced by an outside agency
passive exercise of a paralyzed leg
2
a
: not active or operating : inert
b
: of, relating to, or making direct use of the sun's heat usually without the intervention of mechanical devices
d
: of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity
e
of an electronic element : exhibiting no gain or control
f
: relating to the detection of an object through its emission of energy or sound
3
a
: receiving or enduring without resistance : submissive
b
: existing or occurring without being active, open, or direct
4
: of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not actively participate in the generation of income
1
: a verb form whose grammatical subject is subjected to or affected by the action represented by that verb : a passive verb form
2
: the passive voice of a language
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for passive
on inactive status as an astronaut
idle applies to persons that are not busy or occupied or to their powers or their implements.
workers were idle in the fields
inert as applied to things implies powerlessness to move or to affect other things; as applied to persons it suggests an inherent or habitual indisposition to activity.
inert ingredients in drugs
passive implies immobility or lack of normally expected response to an external force or influence and often suggests deliberate submissiveness or self-control.
supine applies only to persons and commonly implies abjectness or indolence.
a supine willingness to play the fool
Examples of passive in a Sentence
Adjective
The destructive myth/legend of Herbert Hoover strikes again. The nation's 31st President has chronically been portrayed as passive in the face of the Great Depression and his successor, Franklin Roosevelt, as the exact opposite—an activist who, if he didn't actually cure the Depression, at least profoundly improved the nation's battered psychology. —
Steve Forbes, Forbes, 30 June 2008 He believes that the time has come for Europeans to discard their passive role with respect to the United States and that Americans must be made to understand why. —Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, May 2006 Throughout the streets of Moscow last Wednesday, word of the ignominious flight of the Soviet Union's would-be junta brought a sense not of jubilation, but of quiet relief that a bloody civil war had been averted, and of satisfaction that the myth of the passive, obedient Russian people might be laid to rest. —Fred Hiatt, Washington Post, 26 Aug.-1 Sept. 1991
“Hits” in “She hits the ball” is active, while “hit” in “The ball was hit” is passive. In “He was hit by the ball,” “hit” is a passive verb.
Recent Examples on the Web
Typically, however, 13G disclosures like this one made by passive shareholders with significant stakes grant some leeway, with a filing required within five business days of the transaction. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2024 Television is also a passive medium, and particularly effective at this kind of cultural inculcation. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 27 Sep. 2024
As with the the Coupe, the T.33 Spider uses passive rather than active dampers and doesn't even have a rear anti-roll bar. —Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 5 Apr. 2023 The latter _passive_-aggressively blames her for the Gilead Visitor's Center closure. —Matt Cabral, EW.com, 5 Oct. 2022 See all Example Sentences for passive 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from Latin passivus, from passus, past participle of pati
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Noun
1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of passive was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near passive
Cite this Entry
“Passive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passive. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 1 Oct 2024 - Updated example sentences
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