Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. The condition or quality of being passive; inactivity, quiescence, or submissiveness.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Same as passiveness.
Wiktionary
- n. The state of being passive.
- n. Submissiveness.
- n. A lack of initiative.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Passiveness; -- opposed to
activity . - n. The tendency of a body to remain in a given state, either of motion or rest, till disturbed by another body; inertia.
- n. The quality or condition of any substance which has no inclination to chemical activity; inactivity.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative
- n. submission to others or to outside influences
Examples
“He also expressed disappointment at what he called the passivity of neighboring states, including South Africa, in the face of the suffering of Zimbabweans.”
“U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell expressed disappointment at what he called the passivity of neighboring states, including South Africa, in the face of the suffering of”
“The most common rationale for his current passivity is that his plate is too full.”
“They could either go ahead with industrialization the C/GHG-sky-rocketing way (China has been stocking up on petroleum) or stagnate in passivity, ignoring EmReds appeals/requirements.”
AGU Day 0: Restarting the Climate Conversation | Serendipity
“This question, of course, goes unasked as the line, a study in passivity, stares straight ahead.”
“I am not sure with what instrument one measures passivity, but passivity is what I sensed in the moldering dark regions†people just waiting, for what neither I nor they knew, just going from day to day, except for the gangs, who killed people.”
Think Progress » Ann Coulter to MoveOn: “How About Helping Out?”
“But passivity is not merely the dark haze that devours personality, it is also the last resort open to human beings as they defy an oppressive order by rendering themselves inaccessible to its intentions.”
“Spectatorial passivity is strictly discouraged by such a mode of filmmaking.”
“Perhaps it’s the novelty of seeing her in a more passive role that makes me so fond of this particular chapter, or perhaps it’s the fact that her passivity is as calculated as her engagement.”
“But Carville’s usually not this dumb, so his befuddlement at the White House’s passivity is particularly enjoyable.”
Obama not leading in Gulf. And this was a *surprise*? | RedState
Lists
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Academic Vocabulary
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abandon, abandonment, abnormally, abstract, abstraction, abstractly, abstracts, academia, academic, academically, academics, academies and 3092 more...
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