passive-aggressive
adjective
pas·sive-ag·gres·sive
ˈpa-siv-ə-ˈgre-siv 
: being, marked by, or displaying behavior characterized by the expression of negative feelings, resentment, and aggression in an unassertive passive way (as through procrastination and stubbornness)
It is passive-aggressive behavior, the donning of a mask of amiability that conceals raw antagonism toward one's competitors, even one's friends.—
Hilary De Vries
Hilary De VriesA passive-aggressive manager eschews open hostilities, in part because he feels distinctly uncomfortable with them.—Walter Kiechel III
Walter Kiechel III
passive-aggressive
noun
Examples of passive-aggressive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Their proclivity for harmony and non-confrontational nature sometimes lead to passive-aggressive behavior, while their tendency to be overly accommodating may also result in indecisiveness.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
But in no lifetime should a parent publicly slander their children, be passive-aggressive to the point of only acknowledging stepchildren, and spew this type of vitriol to strangers when there are options like a diary, therapy, and mobile phones.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Apr. 2024
There was some ambiguity, or perhaps a passive-aggressive attitude, that initially clouded this development.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
Job shopper asks for frequent references More:Husband thinks his wife is too close to her kids
His folks often behave in a passive-aggressive manner toward me.
—Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024
His folks often behave in a passive-aggressive manner toward me.
—Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Her scenes with Buckley, in which the irresistible urge of Irish bonhomie butts up against the immovable object of passive-aggressive politeness and repression, are like watching musicians play off against each other’s weaving melodies and riffs.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
Though Crystal didn’t spell it all the way out, history shows that those grudges can range from the professional (Netflix versus the traditional studios) to the personal (actors making seemingly passive-aggressive comments about one another), stemming from the competitive nature of the awards.
—Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024
Not surprisingly, her most popular character is a passive-aggressive mean girl who rules the coop during high school, only to peak before adulthood.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024
Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
But in no lifetime should a parent publicly slander their children, be passive-aggressive to the point of only acknowledging stepchildren, and spew this type of vitriol to strangers when there are options like a diary, therapy, and mobile phones.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Apr. 2024
There was some ambiguity, or perhaps a passive-aggressive attitude, that initially clouded this development.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
Job shopper asks for frequent references More:Husband thinks his wife is too close to her kids
His folks often behave in a passive-aggressive manner toward me.
—Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024
His folks often behave in a passive-aggressive manner toward me.
—Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Her scenes with Buckley, in which the irresistible urge of Irish bonhomie butts up against the immovable object of passive-aggressive politeness and repression, are like watching musicians play off against each other’s weaving melodies and riffs.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
Though Crystal didn’t spell it all the way out, history shows that those grudges can range from the professional (Netflix versus the traditional studios) to the personal (actors making seemingly passive-aggressive comments about one another), stemming from the competitive nature of the awards.
—Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024
Not surprisingly, her most popular character is a passive-aggressive mean girl who rules the coop during high school, only to peak before adulthood.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passive-aggressive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near passive-aggressive
Cite this Entry
“Passive-aggressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passive-aggressive. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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