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What is another word for passive?

Need synonyms for passive? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance

Not actively participating in an activity or interaction

Inactive or still, without motion

Showing little or no feeling or emotion

Showing no interest, vigor, determination, or enthusiasm

Lacking vigor, vitality, or excitement

Lacking sufficient power or strength

Timid in character, or generally lacking in self-confidence

Existing in a latent or dormant state

Not excessively showy or lively

Lacking strength of character to follow one's own principles

Pleasant and amicable in nature

Having the ability to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering

… more ▼

Adjective

Accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance

under the thumb

under one's thumb

in one's pocket

in one's clutches

at beck and call

easily persuaded

easily influenced

easily manipulated

well disciplined

wrapped around finger

led by the nose

tied to someone's apron strings

subjected to nagging

under someone's heel

treated like dirt

without a mind of one's own

in fear of one's partner

like putty in your hands

go-with-the-flow

eager to please

glad to be of assistance

willing to help

rolls with punches

putty in one's hands

good-humored^US

good-humoured^UK

well-disciplined

willing to compromise

rolling with punches

well brought up

well-brought-up

with the patience of Job

willing to please

favourably disposed

more ❯

“An underacknowledged distinction in studies of legitimacy centers on whether the organization seeks active support or merely passive acquiescence.”

Adjective

Not actively participating in an activity or interaction

noninterventionist

non-participating

non-participative

“The mayor has taken a passive role in regard to the accreditation of probation departments.”

Adjective

Inactive or still, without motion

rooted to the spot

at a standstill

not moving a muscle

as if turned to stone

fixed to the spot

perfectly still

as if rooted to the spot

without moving a muscle

not going anywhere

more ❯

“There is an equilibrium between active molecules and passive molecules at a given temperature.”

Adjective

Showing little or no feeling or emotion

undemonstrative

desensitized^US

uncompassionate

self-controlled

desensitised^UK

along for the ride

could care less

couldn't care less

don't give a damn

cool, calm and collected

unimpressionable

going with the flow

rolling with the punches

depersonalized^US

uncommunicative

nondiscriminatory

depersonalised^UK

strictly business

more ❯

“He wasn't sure why Gene was merely meeting the boy's glare with a calm, passive look on his face.”

Adjective

Showing no interest, vigor, determination, or enthusiasm

procrastinating

could care less

couldn't care less

don't give a damn

taking your time

procrastinative

disorganized^US

disorganised^UK

just watching the clock

not giving a damn

lacking in vitality

not enthusiastic

asleep at the wheel

lacking in energy

asleep on the job

having spring fever

more ❯

Adjective

Lacking vigor, vitality, or excitement

lacking vitality

two-dimensional

run-of-the-mill

undistinguished

dull as dishwater

middle-of-the-road

straightforward

run of the mill

non-stimulating

soul-destroying

lacking variety

lacking excitement

lacking interest

common or garden

no great shakes

nothing to write home about

dull as ditchwater

uncommunicative

lacking variation

straight-thinking

with both feet on the ground

lacking in vitality

lacking personality

lacking charisma

undemonstrative

devoid of emotion

behind the times

uncomprehending

unobjectionable

run-of-the-mine

nothing special

fair-to-middling

nothing to get excited about

par for the course

fair to middling

unprepossessing

inconsequential

middle of the road

of no consequence

blending into the background

standardized^US

standardised^UK

unextraordinary

run-of-the mill

not amounting to much

without variety

flat as pancake

puts one to sleep

unsophisticated

of little consequence

of little importance

not worth mentioning

of no importance

of no great concern

one-size-fits-all

recognizable^US

recognisable^UK

matter-of-course

well established

more ❯

Adjective

Lacking sufficient power or strength

disadvantageous

counterproductive

without success

not good enough

with hands tied

up creek without paddle

lacking ability

without resources

in difficulties

without assistance

in vicious circle

not up to scratch

not up to snuff

no great shakes

leaving much to be desired

more ❯

Adjective

Timid in character, or generally lacking in self-confidence

lacking confidence

lacking self-confidence

lacking assurance

lacking in confidence

not self-assured

approval-seeking

undemonstrative

uncommunicative

keeping a low profile

easily embarrassed

self-deprecating

self-deprecatory

having cold feet

more ❯

Adjective

Existing in a latent or dormant state

compartmentalised^UK

compartmentalized^US

more ❯

Adjective

Not excessively showy or lively

dark-coloured^UK

dark-colored^US

in the background

delicately complex

hardly noticeable

hardly detectable

more ❯

Adjective

Lacking strength of character to follow one's own principles

chicken-hearted

hemming and hawing

chicken-livered

lacking courage

easily frightened

having the willies

shilly-shallying

having cold feet

sitting on the fence

blowing hot and cold

afraid of one's own shadow

dishonourable^UK

dishonorable^US

without a will of your own

afraid of one's shadow

lacking assurance

lacking self-confidence

approval-seeking

not self-assured

lacking in confidence

lacking confidence

lacking in vitality

more ❯

Adjective

Pleasant and amicable in nature

Adjective

Having the ability to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering

self-controlled

self-restrained

with the patience of Job

cool, calm and collected

going easy with

live-and-let-live

more ❯

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What is the opposite of passive?
Sentences with the word passive
Words that rhyme with passive
What is the plural of passive?
What is the adverb for passive?
What is the adjective for passive?
What is the noun for passive?
Translations for passive
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Nearby Words

passive acceptance

passive-aggressive

passive data structures

passive diffusion

passive euthanasia

passionlessness

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