as in meekly
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 passively
The first was to use his ball-carrying to advance beyond opponents who pressed passively.
—
The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Interestingly, most dogs spent much of their time lying passively, but activity spiked in the first hour of separation.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Interestingly, though, the orbiter won’t wait passively for data to be beamed from the icy moon’s surface.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Students learn to leverage technology for creative problem-solving, not just consume it passively.
—Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
By passively monitoring and flagging possible signs of hypertension, Apple Watch helps fill a dangerous gap in diagnosis.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Watching passively only serves the interests of the social media companies.
—Annie Margaret, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Watching passively only serves the interests of the social media companies.
—Annie Margaret, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
Lily the entrepreneur-warrior-hunter may try to actively determine the course of her own life, but she’s also portrayed as passively in the tidal grip of large impersonal forces like money, desire, and different social rules for women and men.
—Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Interestingly, most dogs spent much of their time lying passively, but activity spiked in the first hour of separation.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Interestingly, though, the orbiter won’t wait passively for data to be beamed from the icy moon’s surface.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Students learn to leverage technology for creative problem-solving, not just consume it passively.
—Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
By passively monitoring and flagging possible signs of hypertension, Apple Watch helps fill a dangerous gap in diagnosis.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Watching passively only serves the interests of the social media companies.
—Annie Margaret, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Watching passively only serves the interests of the social media companies.
—Annie Margaret, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
Lily the entrepreneur-warrior-hunter may try to actively determine the course of her own life, but she’s also portrayed as passively in the tidal grip of large impersonal forces like money, desire, and different social rules for women and men.
—Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passively
Adverb
-
Finishing last season with 91 points while meekly bowing out in the first round doesn’t help that perception.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
United finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league position since they were relegated in 1974, and surrendered meekly to Tottenham in the Europa League final.—
Dan Cancian,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
That test soon divides matter, even for a far from sensitive ear, into what reads well & what reads tamely, haltingly, jerkily, lopsidedly, top-heavily, or otherwise badly.—
Ben Yagoda,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Wilson Isidor’s shot was unthreatening enough but Hermansen’s attempts to push it around his post were fluffed, allowing the ball to bounce tamely into the corner.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
One play after hitting Mims, Nix calmly stepped up as pressure arrived and led running back Tyler Badie for an 11-yard catch-and-run.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Wall Street opened relatively calmly Wednesday, some nine-and-a-half hours into the shutdown.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
All three kittens were in a cage in the trunk of their minivan, placidly watching us.—
Tao Lin,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
-
One goalkeeper robot stood placidly as its opponent kicked a ball at its legs several times before finally managing to score.—
Yan Zhuang,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
No one can protect our freedom to peacefully disagree alone.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Or ignore each other and peacefully coexist?—
Amanda Schupak,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Jane's chimp imitation was an easy choice to hook the average, even mildly interested, reader.—
Ron Arias,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Extensive is putting it mildly, with manufacturing stopped.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The director’s approach is coolly distant and underpowered; even scenes of bloody battle in the ring feel merely informational.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
After Rodrigo De Paul was clipped inside the 18-yard box for a penalty, Suarez stepped up to coolly convert from the spot with a low effort to the left.—
Franco Panizo,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
And Robbie, so serenely, perfectly beautiful, is playing a character teeming with self-loathing.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Passively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passively. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share