Standard Lemma guide

passive-aggressive

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • rhymes with -ɛsɪv

1

adj

Meaning 1

Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Showing covert hostility, intending to cause annoyance or to humiliate, while maintaining a transparent (to the recipient) veneer of politeness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From 1940s, after passive aggression.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 陰陽怪氣 /阴阳怪气 (yīnyángguàiqì) — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Danish: passiv-agressiv — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Finnish: passiivis-aggressiivinen — obstructionism via taking no action
  • French: passif-agressif — obstructionism via taking no action
  • German: passiv-aggressiv — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Greek: παθητικοεπιθετικός (pathitikoepithetikós) — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Indonesian: agesif pasif — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Indonesian: judes tersirat — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Italian: passivo-aggressivo — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Russian: пасси́вно-агресси́вный (passívno-agressívnyj) — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Slovak: pasívne agresívny — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Spanish: pasivo-agresivo — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Spanish: pasivamente agresivo — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Swedish: passivt aggressiv — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Swedish: passivaggressiv — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Turkish: pasif-agresif — obstructionism via taking no action
  • Turkish: pasif agresif — obstructionism via taking no action