as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others
his uncharacteristic submissiveness to the doctor's advice must mean he's really sick
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Recent Examples of submissiveness
But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.
—
Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
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
Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for submissiveness
Noun
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The trailer depicts the duo navigating Aunt Lydia’s elite preparatory school for future wives, where obedience is instilled into the young female students.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Mom taught me animal behavior, obedience training, coat and skin conditioning, muscle-development regimens, show logistics, ring dynamics.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And acquiescence can be contagious.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
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Even if clemency led the White House to dial back the ongoing efforts to punish Colorado, acquiescence today only invites future harassment.—
Max Potter,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.—
Timothy J. Pawl,
The Conversation,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Submissiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/submissiveness. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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