passive aggressive
4 synonyms and 3 antonyms for passive aggressive, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Expressing anger or hostility indirectly rather than saying it outright, through sulking, backhanded compliments, deliberate delay or pretended agreement.
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.
Antonyms
How to use passive aggressive
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
passive aggressive behaviour
passive aggressive note
passive aggressive comment
being passive aggressive
Informal and extremely common in everyday speech. Often hyphenated when it comes before a noun: a passive-aggressive email.
Etymology
A compound of passive and aggressive, describing behaviour that is outwardly passive but aggressive in intent.
Full origin of passive aggressive →Frequently asked questions
What are examples of passive aggressive behaviour?
Common examples include the silent treatment, saying 'I'm fine' in a tone that clearly means the opposite, agreeing to do something and then doing it badly or late on purpose, and backhanded compliments like 'that's brave of you to wear'. The pattern is hostility delivered in a form the person can deny.
What is the difference between passive aggressive and assertive?
Assertive means stating your needs or objections clearly and respectfully so the other person knows where they stand. Passive aggressive means feeling the same objection but hiding it behind sarcasm, delay or sulking, so the other person is left guessing.
Is passive aggressive a mental illness?
No. It describes a communication style, not a disorder. Passive-aggressive personality disorder appeared in older editions of the DSM but was moved out of the main classification and is not a current standard diagnosis.
