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 Middle Ages really were an era when kings ruled in Christ’s name, when the popes of Rome commanded obedience from believers around Europe, and when monasteries played a crucial role in the shaping of values and education.—
Brett Whalen,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The group pledged full obedience to the new leader.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This is a story that traces the path to justice for mass atrocity in the face of public acquiescence.—
Sheila Coronel,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
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Kelley, Offerman, Fanning, and especially Pfeiffer do enough of the hard work to make acquiescence rather easy — and the ensuing journey a worthy reward.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Carlson-Wee introduces himself to Wood with the sweet docility of a young boy meeting his hero.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
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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 1 Apr. 2026.
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