1
a(1)
: acted upon by an external agency
(2)
: receptive to outside impressions or influences
b(1)
: asserting that the grammatical subject of a verb is subjected to or affected by the action represented by that verb
the passive voice
(2)
: containing or yielding a passive verb form
d
: induced by an outside agency
passive exercise of a paralyzed leg
2
a
: not active or operating : inert
b
: of, relating to, or making direct use of the sun's heat usually without the intervention of mechanical devices
a passive solar house
c
: latent
d
: of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity
especially
: resistant to corrosion
e
of an electronic element
: exhibiting no gain or control
f
: relating to the detection of an object through its emission of energy or sound
passive sonar
3
a
: receiving or enduring without resistance : submissive
b
: existing or occurring without being active, open, or direct
passive support
4
: of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not actively participate in the generation of income
passively
adverb
passiveness
noun
1
: a verb form whose grammatical subject is subjected to or affected by the action represented by that verb : a passive verb form
2
: the passive voice of a language
Examples of passive in a Sentence
Adjective
The destructive myth/legend of Herbert Hoover strikes again. The nation's 31st President has chronically been portrayed as passive in the face of the Great Depression and his successor, Franklin Roosevelt, as the exact opposite—an activist who, if he didn't actually cure the Depression, at least profoundly improved the nation's battered psychology.
—
Steve Forbes, Forbes, 30 June 2008
He believes that the time has come for Europeans to discard their passive role with respect to the United States and that Americans must be made to understand why.
—Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, May 2006
Throughout the streets of Moscow last Wednesday, word of the ignominious flight of the Soviet Union's would-be junta brought a sense not of jubilation, but of quiet relief that a bloody civil war had been averted, and of satisfaction that the myth of the passive, obedient Russian people might be laid to rest.
—Fred Hiatt, Washington Post, 26 Aug.-1 Sept. 1991
“Hits” in “She hits the ball” is active, while “hit” in “The ball was hit” is passive.
In “He was hit by the ball,” “hit” is a passive verb.
Steve Forbes, Forbes, 30 June 2008
He believes that the time has come for Europeans to discard their passive role with respect to the United States and that Americans must be made to understand why.
—Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, May 2006
Throughout the streets of Moscow last Wednesday, word of the ignominious flight of the Soviet Union's would-be junta brought a sense not of jubilation, but of quiet relief that a bloody civil war had been averted, and of satisfaction that the myth of the passive, obedient Russian people might be laid to rest.
—Fred Hiatt, Washington Post, 26 Aug.-1 Sept. 1991
“Hits” in “She hits the ball” is active, while “hit” in “The ball was hit” is passive.
In “He was hit by the ball,” “hit” is a passive verb.
Recent Examples on the Web
Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Its bilayer design features an active layer that changes shape and color and a passive layer that provides stiffness and optical transparency.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Patients scoring 9 to 10 are categorized as promoters, those scoring 7 to 8 are passives and those scoring from 0 to 6 are detractors.
—Ajay Prasad, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for passive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Active news consumers were much more likely to be politically engaged, while passive news consumers were much more likely to be disengaged or moderately engaged in politics.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Its bilayer design features an active layer that changes shape and color and a passive layer that provides stiffness and optical transparency.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
Activists, fairly or not, perceive those big passives as in favor of management.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Patients scoring 9 to 10 are categorized as promoters, those scoring 7 to 8 are passives and those scoring from 0 to 6 are detractors.
—Ajay Prasad, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for passive
Cite this Entry
“Passive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
passive
1 of 2 adjective
pas·sive
ˈpas-iv 
1
a
: not active but acted upon
passive spectators
b
: indicating that the person or thing represented by the subject is acted on by the verb
"was hit" in "he was hit by the ball" is passive
2
a
: not operating
b
: of, relating to, or making use of the sun's heat usually without the aid of mechanical devices
3
: offering no resistance
passive
2 of 2 noun1
: a passive verb form
2
: the passive voice
Medical Definition
passive
adjective
pas·sive
ˈpas-iv
1
a(1)
: lethargic or lacking in energy or will
(2)
: tending not to take an active or dominant part
a passive spouse
b
: induced by an outside agency
passive exercise of a paralyzed leg
2
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity
b
: not involving expenditure of chemical energy
passive transport across a plasma membrane
3
: producing passive immunity
passive immunotherapy
passively
adverb
passiveness
noun
Legal Definition
passive
adjective
pas·sive
ˈpa-siv
: not involving, deriving from, or requiring effort or active participation
imposed a passive duty not to interfere
specifically
: of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not have immediate control over the income-producing activity
passive income
passive losses
Note: Under the Internal Revenue Code, there are two sources of passive income: rental activity and a business in which the taxpayer does not materially participate.
passively
adverb
passiveness
noun
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