as in obedient
readily giving in to the command or authority of another
it's not in her nature to be submissive
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of submissive
The original plot centered on the arrival of a submissive, quiet mail-order bride and her father from China, who sneaked into the country to marry a nightclub owner who had no idea that his mother had brought the girl over for him.
—
Marla Jo Fisher, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Miranda’s latest submissive prince-consort boyfriend is played by Kenneth Branagh, bizarrely the lead violinist in a string quartet.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
The project, which premiered at Sundance in January, is a zany and absurd exploration of a dominant-submissive relationship.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
Its subtitle, about awakening and survival, underlines Mrie’s trajectory from submissive daughter to political actor and skilled observer.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for submissive
Marla Jo Fisher, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Miranda’s latest submissive prince-consort boyfriend is played by Kenneth Branagh, bizarrely the lead violinist in a string quartet.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
The project, which premiered at Sundance in January, is a zany and absurd exploration of a dominant-submissive relationship.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
Its subtitle, about awakening and survival, underlines Mrie’s trajectory from submissive daughter to political actor and skilled observer.
—Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for submissive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for submissive
Adjective
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Richards gave millions of dollars to the cult, Eternal Values, while living a double life as both a globe-trotting supermodel and obedient cult member, as reported in a recent story in The Hollywood Reporter.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
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The Flaws are the typical employees of a German government office – quiet, obedient and spectacularly bad at their jobs.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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In April, Hulu began airing the series The Testaments, a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale that depicts teen girls trained to be docile homemakers.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
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His humble and docile disposition resembles that of the air sign Libra, which holds moral righteousness and fair-mindedness.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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The fact that the agency was under Kennedy’s leadership didn’t make Raw Farm any more compliant when regulators asked it to recall its products.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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Accessibility The hotel is fully ADA-compliant and accessible, with elevators taking you between all four floors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Submissive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/submissive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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