passive-aggressive
Sullen but smiling
Passive-aggressive describes behavior that expresses hostility indirectly rather than openly.
Instead of stating anger or disagreement, someone passive-aggressive might procrastinate, give the silent treatment, make backhanded compliments, or comply superficially while undermining: She said she'd help but kept "forgetting" the deadline.
The term originated in military psychiatry but now describes anyone who avoids direct confrontation while still communicating resentment.
Deliberately refusing to respond
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- withholdingKeeping from another
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
- deflectionChange in trajectory
inaction · unresponsiveness · dodging · foot-dragging · tardiness · forgetting · neglect · delayed response
Deceptively unkind praise
- snideDerisively insinuating
- insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
- silent treatmentRefusing to speak
- evasionAct of escaping detection
subterfuge · undermining · noncompliance · stalling · withholding · covert · disingenuous · feigned ignorance
Deliberate disruption of operations
- insidiousSubtly destructive over time
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
subtle · guile · conniving · scheming · crafty · wily · stealthy · gaslighting
Sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- sullennessSilently resentful ill humor
spite · irritation · displeasure · acrimony · pique · rancor · grievance · seething
stonewalling
Deliberately refusing to respond
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- withholdingKeeping from another
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
deflection · inaction · unresponsiveness · dodging · foot-dragging · tardiness · forgetting · neglect · delayed response · ghosting
backhanded
Deceptively unkind praise
- snideDerisively insinuating
- insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
- silent treatmentRefusing to speak
evasion · subterfuge · undermining · noncompliance · stalling · withholding · covert · disingenuous · feigned ignorance · veiled
sabotage
Deliberate disruption of operations
- insidiousSubtly destructive over time
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
cunning · subtle · guile · conniving · scheming · crafty · wily · stealthy · gaslighting · guilt-tripping
bitterness
Sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
sullenness · spite · irritation · displeasure · acrimony · pique · rancor · grievance · seething · smoldering
snarky
Mockingly critical in tone
- ironicExpressing contrary meaning
- mockingScornfully imitating or ridiculing
- sneeringExpressing scorn facially
facetious · taunting · derisive · cynical · sardonic · sharp-tongued · cutting · barbed · patronizing · condescending
- behaviorshabit, agitation, conduct, sneezing, manners
- speaking stylesarticulate, blunt, candid, conversational, casual
- conversationlistening, talk, talking, chat, speaking
- demeanorbehavior, conduct, deportment, bearing, demeanor
- feedbackcomment, comments, constructive, complaint, reviews
- flawsfaults, defect, flaw, blemish, flaws
passive-aggressivedirect
Undeviating or to guide
straightforward · forthright · candid · frank · blunt
passive-aggressiveconfrontational
Inclined toward hostile encounters
head-on · combative · in-your-face · direct · aggressive
passive, aggressive, aggression, aggressor, passivity, aggressively, aggressiveness, passively, unaggressive