passive
8 synonyms and 0 antonyms for passive, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Accepting what happens without acting to change or resist it.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use passive
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin passivus, "capable of suffering or being acted upon," from pati, "to suffer."
Full origin of passive →Frequently asked questions
What does “passive” mean?
The word “passive” means accepting what happens without acting to change or resist it. In plain terms, not taking action — letting things happen rather than making them happen.
How do you pronounce “passive”?
“Passive” is pronounced PAS-ihv (/ˈpæs.ɪv/ in IPA).
How do you use “passive” in a sentence?
Here is “passive” used in a sentence: “He took a passive approach and let others make the decisions.”
What is another word for “passive”?
Words with a similar meaning to “passive” include disinterested and uninvolved.
What part of speech is “passive”?
“Passive” is an adjective.
Where does the word “passive” come from?
The word “passive” comes from Latin. From Latin passivus, "capable of suffering or being acted upon," from pati, "to suffer.".
Is “passive” a common word?
“Passive” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “passive” have?
“Passive” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: accepting what happens without acting to change or resist it.
What is the difference between active and passive voice?
In the active voice the subject performs the action, as in "The dog chased the ball." In the passive voice the subject receives the action, as in "The ball was chased by the dog," and the verb is formed with be plus a past participle.
Is it wrong to use the passive voice?
No, the passive is fully grammatical and is the natural choice when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant, as in "My car was stolen." It is only criticised when overused, because too much passive can make writing vague and wordy.
What is the difference between passive and passive-aggressive?
A passive person accepts what happens without acting to change or resist it. A passive-aggressive person appears to comply but expresses resistance indirectly, for example through sulking, delays, or subtle digs, rather than stating objections openly.