English dictionary
passive
adjectivePronunciation
ˈpæs.ɪv
Audio pronunciation
Parts of speech
Definitions
adjective
- lacking in energy or will
adjective
- expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb
adjective
- peacefully resistant in response to injustice
noun
- 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
Example sentences
{'source': 'George Meredith', 'text': 'Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself'}
academics seem to favor passive sentences
passive resistance
‘The ball was thrown by the boy’ uses the passive voice
‘The ball was thrown’ is an abbreviated passive