passive
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: passives
Sense 1
Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
Adjective
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Taking no action.
Adjective
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
The passive voice of verbs.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 4
A form of a verb that is in the passive voice.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “passive” mean?
Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
Is “passive” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.