"passive-aggressive" meaning in English

See passive-aggressive in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Forms: more passive-aggressive [comparative], most passive-aggressive [superlative]
Rhymes: -ɛsɪv Etymology: From 1940s, after passive aggression. Head templates: {{en-adj}} passive-aggressive (comparative more passive-aggressive, superlative most passive-aggressive)
  1. (psychology) Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations. Categories (topical): Psychology Translations (obstructionism via taking no action): passiv-agressiv (Danish), passiivis-aggressiivinen (Finnish), passif-agressif (French), passiv-aggressiv (German), παθητικοεπιθετικός (pathitikoepithetikós) (Greek), passivo-aggressivo (Italian), пасси́вно-агресси́вный (passívno-agressívnyj) (Russian), pasívne agresívny (Slovak), pasivo-agresivo (Spanish), passivt aggressiv (Swedish), passivaggressiv (Swedish), pasif-agresif (Turkish), pasif agresif (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-passive-aggressive-en-adj-h9IUInqB Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English oxymorons, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Slovak translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Turkish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 58 42 Disambiguation of English oxymorons: 66 34 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 73 27 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 66 34 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 82 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 79 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 69 31 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 67 33 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 72 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 62 38 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 76 24 Disambiguation of Terms with Slovak translations: 65 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 69 31 Disambiguation of Terms with Turkish translations: 69 31 Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences Disambiguation of 'obstructionism via taking no action': 62 38
  2. Showing covert hostility, intending to cause annoyance or to humiliate, while maintaining a transparent (to the recipient) veneer of politeness.
    Sense id: en-passive-aggressive-en-adj-gVKR4AlW
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: pass-agg, passive-aggression, passive-aggressively, passive-aggressiveness, passive-aggressive personality disorder, passive-aggressivist, aggressor [passive] Related terms: resistance [passive] Coordinate_terms: passive-dependent

Alternative forms

{
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "passive-dependent"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "pass-agg"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "passive-aggression"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "passive-aggressively"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "passive-aggressiveness"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "passive-aggressive personality disorder"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "passive-aggressivist"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "tags": [
        "passive"
      ],
      "word": "aggressor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From 1940s, after passive aggression.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more passive-aggressive",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most passive-aggressive",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "passive-aggressive (comparative more passive-aggressive, superlative most passive-aggressive)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "tags": [
        "passive"
      ],
      "word": "resistance"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Psychology",
          "orig": "en:Psychology",
          "parents": [
            "Social sciences",
            "Sciences",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "58 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 34",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English oxymorons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "73 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 34",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Danish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "67 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "62 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "76 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Slovak translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Turkish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations."
      ],
      "id": "en-passive-aggressive-en-adj-h9IUInqB",
      "links": [
        [
          "psychology",
          "psychology"
        ],
        [
          "passive",
          "passive"
        ],
        [
          "obstructionist",
          "obstructionist"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(psychology) Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "psychology",
        "sciences"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passiv-agressiv"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passiivis-aggressiivinen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passif-agressif"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passiv-aggressiv"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "pathitikoepithetikós",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "παθητικοεπιθετικός"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passivo-aggressivo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "passívno-agressívnyj",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "пасси́вно-агресси́вный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "pasívne agresívny"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "pasivo-agresivo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passivt aggressiv"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "passivaggressiv"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "pasif-agresif"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 38",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
          "word": "pasif agresif"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):",
          "text": "“I Love Lisa” opens with one of my favorite underappreciated running jokes from The Simpsons: the passive-aggressive, quietly contentious relationship of radio jocks Bill and Marty, whose mindless happy talk regularly gives way to charged exchanges that betray the simmering resentment and disappointment perpetually lingering just under the surface of their relationship.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 February 19, Dean Burnett, “OK, don't read this article about passive-aggressive behaviour. Honestly, it's fine”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Curt texts, unanswered emails, Facebook statuses declaring “someone” to be an idiot, the notorious subtweet; if you can communicate with it, people can be passive aggressive with it. No doubt there were frosty telegrams in centuries gone by.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Showing covert hostility, intending to cause annoyance or to humiliate, while maintaining a transparent (to the recipient) veneer of politeness."
      ],
      "id": "en-passive-aggressive-en-adj-gVKR4AlW",
      "links": [
        [
          "covert",
          "covert"
        ],
        [
          "hostility",
          "hostility"
        ],
        [
          "annoyance",
          "annoyance"
        ],
        [
          "humiliate",
          "humiliate"
        ],
        [
          "transparent",
          "transparent"
        ],
        [
          "veneer",
          "veneer"
        ],
        [
          "politeness",
          "politeness"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛsɪv"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "passive-aggressive behavior"
  ],
  "word": "passive-aggressive"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English oxymorons",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛsɪv",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛsɪv/5 syllables",
    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Slovak translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
  ],
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "word": "passive-dependent"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "pass-agg"
    },
    {
      "word": "passive-aggression"
    },
    {
      "word": "passive-aggressively"
    },
    {
      "word": "passive-aggressiveness"
    },
    {
      "word": "passive-aggressive personality disorder"
    },
    {
      "word": "passive-aggressivist"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "passive"
      ],
      "word": "aggressor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From 1940s, after passive aggression.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more passive-aggressive",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most passive-aggressive",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "passive-aggressive (comparative more passive-aggressive, superlative most passive-aggressive)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "passive"
      ],
      "word": "resistance"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Psychology"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "psychology",
          "psychology"
        ],
        [
          "passive",
          "passive"
        ],
        [
          "obstructionist",
          "obstructionist"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(psychology) Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "psychology",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):",
          "text": "“I Love Lisa” opens with one of my favorite underappreciated running jokes from The Simpsons: the passive-aggressive, quietly contentious relationship of radio jocks Bill and Marty, whose mindless happy talk regularly gives way to charged exchanges that betray the simmering resentment and disappointment perpetually lingering just under the surface of their relationship.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 February 19, Dean Burnett, “OK, don't read this article about passive-aggressive behaviour. Honestly, it's fine”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Curt texts, unanswered emails, Facebook statuses declaring “someone” to be an idiot, the notorious subtweet; if you can communicate with it, people can be passive aggressive with it. No doubt there were frosty telegrams in centuries gone by.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Showing covert hostility, intending to cause annoyance or to humiliate, while maintaining a transparent (to the recipient) veneer of politeness."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "covert",
          "covert"
        ],
        [
          "hostility",
          "hostility"
        ],
        [
          "annoyance",
          "annoyance"
        ],
        [
          "humiliate",
          "humiliate"
        ],
        [
          "transparent",
          "transparent"
        ],
        [
          "veneer",
          "veneer"
        ],
        [
          "politeness",
          "politeness"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛsɪv"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passiv-agressiv"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passiivis-aggressiivinen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passif-agressif"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passiv-aggressiv"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "pathitikoepithetikós",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "παθητικοεπιθετικός"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passivo-aggressivo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "passívno-agressívnyj",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "пасси́вно-агресси́вный"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "pasívne agresívny"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "pasivo-agresivo"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passivt aggressiv"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "passivaggressiv"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "pasif-agresif"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "obstructionism via taking no action",
      "word": "pasif agresif"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "passive-aggressive behavior"
  ],
  "word": "passive-aggressive"
}

Download raw JSONL data for passive-aggressive meaning in English (5.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-28 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-11-21 using wiktextract (65a6e81 and 0dbea76). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.