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Synonym Chooser

How is the word impassive distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of impassive are apathetic, phlegmatic, stoic, and stolid. While all these words 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

When is apathetic a more appropriate choice than impassive?

The synonyms apathetic and impassive are sometimes interchangeable, but apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.

charitable appeals met an apathetic response

When is it sensible to use phlegmatic instead of impassive?

Although the words phlegmatic and impassive have much in common, phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.

a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears

Where would stoic be a reasonable alternative to impassive?

The words stoic and impassive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When could stolid be used to replace impassive?

The words stolid and impassive can be used in similar contexts, but stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.

stolid workers wedded to routine

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of impassive Our first Killarney run combined the fervent greenness of the previous day with the impassive steepness of our earlier outings. Alexandra Kleeman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024 The first 18-plus of its 22 seasons were led by Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the impassive Special Agent in Charge and boss extraordinaire who liked to build boats in his basement in his spare time. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2024 The carved, impassive face that suddenly droops, drags, goes baggy with the weight of being alive. James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2024 The tone and point of view were lofty, sharp-eyed, seemingly impassive. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impassive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impassive
Adjective
  • His dad was a stiff-upper-lip kind of guy, and Clint became known as the stoic kid with the sleepy brown eyes.
    Jenni Carlson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Now Fans often compare him to Takenori Akagi, the stoic team captain from the series.
    Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Rivera climbed into Feliz’s car; threatened, beat, and tased him, and then shot him in the chest point blank.
    Lourdes Rosado, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
  • His most lucrative title at one point was a blank book—a patented scrapbook of his own invention.
    Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Bale ran to the corner of the pitch, and, having been an expressionless bystander for much of the evening, shouted in ecstasy.
    Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2022
  • The company poured $10 billion into its Reality Labs division last year, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg was criticized last week after posting a selfie that showed an expressionless version of his avatar in front of the Eiffel Tower.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2022
Adjective
  • Julianne Moore toes the line between enigmatic socialite and cult leader in the new trailer for Sirens, a new limited series premiering May 22 on Netflix.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The city—ever elegant, ever enigmatic—set the stage for one of the magazine’s most iconic stories: The Last Waltz, Mario Testino’s sweeping September 2006 editorial starring Natalia Vodianova as a modern-day empress gliding through Schönbrunn and beyond.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impassive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impassive. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on impassive

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