Definition of passive

adjective (a)

• lacking in energy or will (adj.all)

  Synonym: inactive
  Antonym: active
  

  Example:
  Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself.
  

  source: wordnet30
• expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb (adj.all)

  Example:
  Academics seem to favor passive sentences.
  

  source: wordnet30
• Not active, but acted upon; suffering or receiving impressions or influences; as, they were passive spectators, not actors in the scene. (adjective)

  source: webster1913

noun (n)

• the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb (noun.linkdef)

  Synonym: passive voice
  Antonym: active, active voice
  

  Example:
  `The ball was thrown by the boy' uses the passive voice.
  `The ball was thrown' is an abbreviated passive.
  

  source: wordnet30

adjective satellite (s)

• peacefully resistant in response to injustice (adj.all)

  Synonym: peaceful
  

  Example:
  Passive resistance.
  

  source: wordnet30

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