Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Devoid of or not subject to emotion.
- adj. Revealing no emotion; expressionless.
- adj. Archaic Incapable of physical sensation.
- adj. Motionless; still.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Not susceptible of pain or suffering; insensible; impassible.
- Not showing sensibility or emotion; unmoved; apathetic: as, an impassive manner.
Wiktionary
- adj. Having, or revealing, no emotion.
- adj. Still or motionless.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Not susceptible of pain or suffering; apathetic; impassible; unmoved.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
- adj. deliberately impassive in manner
Etymologies
- in-1 + passive, suffering (obsolete).
Examples
“To visitation of the impassive air," is a sonorous verse; but it is not Dante's verse, unless _all detached_ means _on every side is open to visitation_, and _impassive air_ means”
“Ella avoided looking at him and kept her expression impassive as she served the dewberry cobbler and cream.”
“Choudhury forced herself to keep her expression impassive and nonthreatening.”
“He gazed out from the screen, his expression impassive as always.”
“Her gaze fastened on the lean-faced man who commanded the group, his expression impassive and aloof.”
“Warrick sawed the steering wheel right and left as he dodged between cars, his expression impassive.”
“Ellie straightened her spine, her expression impassive.”
“Then she lifted her hands and began clapping, her expression impassive.”
““I would,” Lyon answered, keeping his expression impassive.”
“She let him draw her up to face them, standing with her head held proudly, her expression impassive, but the admiral was sure that for a second he had glimpsed surprised recognition.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘impassive’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
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March 2012
panache, evanescent, erogenous, vestibule, malfeasance, lacuna, blithering, incubate, breech, tabernacle, pearly, upholstery and 79 more...
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