1
as in acquiescence
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2
as in inertia
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of passivity
One of the main problems, of course, is the physical passivity.
—
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
But the actor never falls into passivity either.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
News reporting and other media encouraged conformity and political passivity.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 Sep. 2025
From the outside, staying in these uneven dynamics can look like passivity or even low self-esteem.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passivity
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
But the actor never falls into passivity either.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
News reporting and other media encouraged conformity and political passivity.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 Sep. 2025
From the outside, staying in these uneven dynamics can look like passivity or even low self-esteem.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passivity
Noun
-
Would-be autocrats create environments of fear and powerlessness, using intimidation, overwhelming force or political and legal attacks, and other coercive tactics to force acquiescence and chill democratic pushback.—
Shelley Inglis,
The Conversation,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Yet, the lesson of the Voting Rights Act is that the response to these setbacks isn’t despair or acquiescence.—
Time,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Where the first half of the 1600 conversation explored how young men are drifting toward the right through grievance, alienation and algorithmic content, this installment challenges Democrats to confront their own inertia.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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American inertia has become a global liability.—
John Wihbey,
Time,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In times of increasing cynicism and apathy in the zeitgeist, this phantasm extravaganza — at once humorously deadpan in its playful tableaus and poignantly sincere at its emotional core — feels like a breath of fresh air.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Oct. 2025
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Fan apathy is showing up in the attendance figures at the Rose Bowl, and the athletic department’s financial problems have been piling up — the Bruins have been operating at a cumulative deficit of over $200 million over the last five years.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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White supremacy is constructed and maintained by Black service work and by the extraction of a social performance of deference.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
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Though the recent firings have come under legal scrutiny, and will likely remain paused for the foreseeable future, the Supreme Court has given broad deference to Trump over federal hiring so far in his second term.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Such a university rooted in the classics will also undoubtedly cultivate a culture of integrity and humility not only among those being educated, but among the educators and the administrators as well.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Looking around at her fellow honorees, LaBelle’s humility came through.—
Essence,
Essence,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Daedone wanted to savor decrescendo, too, as well as stasis, stupor, spiritual awakening, and whatever other sensations the stroke brought out.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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The cilantro is key because its chlorophyllic sharpness slaps the stupor out of the starchy beans.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This year, the council of 16 judges, comprising photographers, videographers, and social media professionals, reviewed nearly 10,000 submissions from across 108 countries.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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Among the 65 submissions was one that detailed the discovery of a 1930s-era oil can from Fresno that was supposedly uncovered at SDSU during an on-campus building project.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Passivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passivity. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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