Definition of IMPASSIVE

Examples of impassive in a Sentence

Her face remained impassive throughout the trial.
she remained impassive as the officers informed her of her son's death

Recent Examples of impassive from the Web

The standardized four-page checklist describes each Islamic State drone mission in chillingly impassive detail: Mission type (spy, bombing, training).

— eric schmitt, New York Times, "Papers Offer a Peek at ISIS’ Drones, Lethal and Largely Off-the-Shelf", 31 Jan. 2017
The place is Caroline County, Va., where Richard Loving, a white man with a rugged face, blond crew cut and impassive gaze, might be mistaken for a comfortable fit in a racist culture.

— joe morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Loving’ Review: A Superbly Argued Case", 3 Nov. 2016
What had been built to seem so solid was fragile in the face of time because time is impassive, more animal than human.

— lauren groff, The New Yorker, "The Midnight Zone", 23 May 2016
The contraption stared back, impassive as a Buckingham Palace guard.

— amanda ripley, The Atlantic, "Playing Defense Against the Drones", 3 Nov. 2015
Shaq by then was anchored to the bench with five fouls, his face utterly impassive.

— scott raab, Esquire, "The Night the Cleveland Cavaliers Quit on Themselves", 14 May 2010
Moving to the next room, Walton watches representations of Sweeney on three screens — his face, rapt and impassive; his gaze, represented by the dot skittering across the gameplay; his vital signs, monitored in cool electronic blips.

— frank rose, WIRED, "Embedding Ads Into Games Like a Good Idea", 23 July 2007
As the jury forewoman read each guilty count in a clear, solemn voice, Libby was impassive, remaining seated at the defense table, gazing straight ahead with hands crossed.

— carol d. leonnig and amy goldstein, Washington Post, "Libby Found Guilty in CIA Leak Case", 7 Mar. 2007

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impassive'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of impassive

1605

impassive Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of impassive

impassive, stoic, phlegmatic, apathetic, stolid mean unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion. impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression. met the news with an impassive look stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline. was resolutely stoic even in adversity phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse. a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness. charitable appeals met an apathetic response stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity. stolid workers wedded to routine

impassive