passive aggressive
Sugary barbs underneath
Passive aggressive describes behavior that expresses hostility or resistance indirectly rather than openly.
Instead of stating anger or disagreement, the passive aggressive person uses subtle sabotage, deliberate inefficiency, or feigned compliance: She agreed to help but kept "forgetting" to follow through.
The term originated in military psychiatry but now describes any pattern of masked aggression—the silent treatment, backhanded compliments, chronic lateness as punishment.
Refusing to speak
- backhanded complimentPraise that subtly insults
- eye-rollingExpressive gesture of annoyance
- sulkingSilent, resentful withdrawal
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
stonewalling · foot-dragging · withholding · feigned ignorance · malicious compliance · selective hearing · cold shoulder · door slamming
Failure to follow requirements
- obstructionismDeliberate impeding of progress
- underminingWeakening by covert means
- evasionAct of escaping detection
- obstinacyUnyielding adherence to position
dragging feet · stalling · blocking · noncooperation · playing dumb · work slowdown · delay tactics · token effort
Persistent bitter displeasure
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- spitePetty malicious intent
displeasure · animosity · discontent · irritation · ill will · smoldering · seething · festering
Irony used to mock
- snide remarksDisparaging comments, thinly veiled
- insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
- innuendoOblique disparaging remark
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
silent treatment
Refusing to speak
- backhanded complimentPraise that subtly insults
- eye-rollingExpressive gesture of annoyance
- sulkingSilent, resentful withdrawal
procrastination · stonewalling · foot-dragging · withholding · feigned ignorance · malicious compliance · selective hearing · cold shoulder · door slamming
noncompliance
Failure to follow requirements
- obstructionismDeliberate impeding of progress
- underminingWeakening by covert means
- evasionAct of escaping detection
obstinacy · dragging feet · stalling · blocking · noncooperation · playing dumb · work slowdown · delay tactics · token effort
resentment
Persistent bitter displeasure
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
spite · displeasure · animosity · discontent · irritation · ill will · smoldering · seething · festering · vindictiveness
sarcasm
Irony used to mock
- snide remarksDisparaging comments, thinly veiled
- insinuationIndirect, usually negative suggestion
- innuendoOblique disparaging remark
- non-apologiesnon-apology, fauxpology, sorry not sorry, mistakes were made, sorry but
- Psych JokesFreudian slip, defense mechanism, free association, slip of the tongue, psychobabble
- feedbackcomment, comments, constructive, complaint, reviews
- MidwestIndiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota
- oxymoronsbittersweet, deafening silence, pretty ugly, living dead, act naturally
- social blundersgaffe, faux pas, misstep, blooper, flub
passive aggressivedirect
Undeviating or to guide
straightforward · forthright · frank · blunt · candid
passive aggressiveconfrontational
Inclined toward hostile encounters
head-on · in-your-face · aggressive · combative · belligerent
passive, aggressive, passing, passively, passivity, aggression, aggressively, aggressiveness, aggressor