passive-aggressive in French
passive-aggressive in French is passif-agressif — passive-aggressive means expressing anger or hostility indirectly rather than saying it outright, through sulking, backhanded compliments, deliberate delay or pretended agreement.
passive-aggressive in French
passif-agressif
(psychology) Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations.
What does "passive-aggressive" mean?
-
adjective Expressing anger or hostility indirectly rather than saying it outright, through sulking, backhanded compliments, deliberate delay or pretended agreement.
"Replying 'fine, whatever' and then doing nothing is classic passive aggressive behaviour."
-
adjective In older clinical psychiatry, describing a personality pattern marked by chronic resistance to demands through procrastination, stubbornness and inefficiency rather than open refusal.
"Passive aggressive personality disorder was removed from the main DSM classification and is no longer a standard diagnosis."
Vocabulary Flow
Learn more English words in French.
Vocabulary Flow serves English words with the French meaning, one at a time — pronunciation and an example each time. Scroll it either direction.
Learn English in French
passive-aggressive in a sentence
- Replying 'fine, whatever' and then doing nothing is classic passive aggressive behaviour.
- She left a passive aggressive note on the fridge about the washing-up.
- Passive aggressive personality disorder was removed from the main DSM classification and is no longer a standard diagnosis.
Similar words in French
Common French translations
Frequently asked questions
What is "passive-aggressive" in French?
"passive-aggressive" in French is passif-agressif. passive-aggressive means: Expressing anger or hostility indirectly rather than saying it outright, through sulking, backhanded compliments, deliberate delay or pretended agreement.
How do you use "passive-aggressive" in a sentence?
Example: "Replying 'fine, whatever' and then doing nothing is classic passive aggressive behaviour." In French, "passive-aggressive" is passif-agressif.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
