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
But that idea assumes passivity from Warsh.
—
Matt Peterson, CNBC, 13 May 2026
There’s a sense of surrender in the way this tune eroticizes total passivity, giving up control, just letting your feelings pound you to a bloody pulp.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
That reflects an unserious passivity that permeates every level of the Sky organization.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for passivity
Matt Peterson, CNBC, 13 May 2026
There’s a sense of surrender in the way this tune eroticizes total passivity, giving up control, just letting your feelings pound you to a bloody pulp.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
That reflects an unserious passivity that permeates every level of the Sky organization.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for passivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passivity
Noun
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Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
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Not in Beijing, where silence is often interpreted as acquiescence.—
Peter Roff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2026
Noun
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But nothing shakes inertia like a fear of extinction, and the widening lead of AI winners is forcing CEOs to take action, bubble or no bubble.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
9 Dec. 2025
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How pills counter sleep inertia About 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
8 Dec. 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
-
Many sport-governance failures stem not from apathy but ardent facilitators untempered by oversight.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
4 Dec. 2025
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At 2-7, apathy could have consumed the team.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Pro leagues and players’ unions negotiate disciplinary, eligibility and anti-gambling rules, disputes over which are resolved via grievance and arbitration procedures and, when litigated, are given high deference by judges.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
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The service ethos is more discreet deference than chatty confidence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
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But now, the Outback appears to be out of its stupor.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
4 June 2026
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Plus, the petite totes come in an assortment of vibrant colors—cheery enough to shake even the weariest parent from their sleepy stupor.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Wright’s very genuine display of humility is even more evidence of how his fingerprints are all over this Knicks team.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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Dad, an upstate New York doctor who found the idea of fashion publishing fancy beyond his comprehension, was blown away by her humility.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Similar to hibernation, this dormant period for snakes and other reptiles is characterized by lethargy and a waning appetite during the colder months, according to Nationwide Pet Insurance.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Dec. 2025
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Common symptoms of an EHV respiratory disease can include fever, coughing, nasal discharge, enlarged lymph nodes, lethargy, anorexia, conjunctivitis and lower limb swelling, according to the AAEP.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
26 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Passivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passivity. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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