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
The three goals following Erling Haaland’s penalty showcased Liverpool’s passivity and, at times, apparent lack of desire.
—
Andy Jones, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
His passivity in situations that would enrage most people to the point of action is frustrating.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Seeking copper wire, preparing a poultice, pouring a bath — these turn passivity into agency.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Only Clark’s passivity seems more out of the boredom of having peaked at local-news celebrity status than anything else.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for passivity
Andy Jones, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
His passivity in situations that would enrage most people to the point of action is frustrating.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Seeking copper wire, preparing a poultice, pouring a bath — these turn passivity into agency.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Only Clark’s passivity seems more out of the boredom of having peaked at local-news celebrity status than anything else.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for passivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passivity
Noun
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Writing in the early 1890s, Nadar deployed Balzac’s reported initial mistrust and later acquiescence to the daguerreotype as an allegory of larger significance for understanding the history of invention.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
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But as the sexist and racist nature of the MAGA machine has gained mainstream acquiescence if not acceptance, the need to keep up the appearance of diversity is less and less.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some of us had spent twenty years in the same career and were itching for a change but stuck in inertia.—
Parul Somani,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
Large majorities of people know what these passwordless credentials are and use them to log in to at least some accounts, but they are being held back by organizational inertia.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Not necessarily devastated or depressed in the way people often imagine depression, but just a persistent feeling of apathy or indifference.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
There can be apathy and hesitation.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Judges are obligated to give high deference to arbitrators and are expected to uphold awards so long as the award was not procured by fraud and the arbitrator didn’t fail to consider relevant evidence or follow basic legal principles.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
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Years of static budgets, staffing turnover, a culture of industry deference and a sluggish response by federal regulators have left the agency unprepared to address a contamination crisis of this size and scope, said Demonbreun-Chapman and others.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Despite his relative passiveness, Brighton’s collective structure is strong.—
Matt Pyzdrowski,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That trust grows when leaders listen first, seek understanding before action and demonstrate humility in how decisions are made.—
Hector Colon,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Intellectual humility — the willingness to update your beliefs when the machine pushes back, rather than digging in or collapsing entirely.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Their apps seem clearly designed, much like TikTok and Candy Crush, to keep users scrolling and tapping in a hypnotic stupor.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
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Patrons — many just as panicked and some in a drunken stupor — ran by her.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Passivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passivity. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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