passivity
Not fighting back
Passivity is the quality of accepting what happens without active response or resistance.
It suggests a lack of initiative or assertiveness—letting things happen rather than making them happen.
The term often carries negative connotations of excessive compliance or failure to act: His passivity in the face of injustice frustrated his colleagues.
In grammar, passivity refers to the passive voice construction.
Unresisting acceptance
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- docilityReadiness to submit
- meeknessGentle, unassertive disposition
- deferenceYielding to another's judgment
obedience · surrender · yielding · capitulation · resignation · subordination · pliability · tractability
Lack of interest
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- unconcernAbsence of worry
- disinterestAbsence of bias
- lethargyAbnormal drowsiness and apathy
torpor · listlessness · languor · ennui · numbness · dispassion · emotionlessness · impassivity
Resistance to altered motion
- stagnationAbsence of flow or progress
- idlenessState of doing nothing
- dormancySuspended biological activity
- immobilityLack of motion
stasis · inactivity · standstill · disengagement · unresponsiveness · motionlessness · sluggishness · paralysis
Undisturbed mental quietude
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- peacefulnessState of quiet tranquility
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- quietudeState of calm stillness
placidity · composure · restfulness · repose · quiescence · ease · contentment · mellowness
Unshakable mental steadiness
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- enduranceSustained effort capacity
- self-controlAbility to restrain impulses
- imperturbabilityState of being unflappable
unflappability · sangfroid · acceptance · philosophical · resignation · composure · forbearance · long-suffering
Act of escaping detection
- sidestepEvade by moving aside
- deferralAct of delaying action
- delayEnforced waiting period
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
hesitance · withdrawal · shirking · fence-sitting · noncommitment · dodging · sidestepping
Process of taking in
- attentivenessConcentrated awareness of surroundings
- opennessQuality of being accessible
- open-mindednessAcceptance of differing viewpoints
- listeningAttending to sound
acceptance · perceptiveness · sensitivity · contemplation · mindfulness · allowing · receiving · non-interference
acquiescence
Unresisting acceptance
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- docilityReadiness to submit
- meeknessGentle, unassertive disposition
deference · obedience · surrender · yielding · capitulation · resignation · subordination · pliability · tractability · servility
indifference
Lack of interest
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- unconcernAbsence of worry
- disinterestAbsence of bias
lethargy · torpor · listlessness · languor · ennui · numbness · dispassion · emotionlessness · impassivity · unresponsiveness
inertia
Resistance to altered motion
- stagnationAbsence of flow or progress
- idlenessState of doing nothing
- dormancySuspended biological activity
immobility · stasis · inactivity · standstill · disengagement · unresponsiveness · motionlessness · sluggishness · paralysis · vegetating
serenity
Undisturbed mental quietude
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- peacefulnessState of quiet tranquility
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
quietude · placidity · composure · restfulness · repose · quiescence · ease · contentment · mellowness · gentleness
equanimity
Unshakable mental steadiness
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- enduranceSustained effort capacity
- self-controlAbility to restrain impulses
imperturbability · unflappability · sangfroid · acceptance · philosophical · resignation · composure · forbearance · long-suffering · bearing
evasion
Act of escaping detection
procrastination · hesitance · withdrawal · shirking · fence-sitting · noncommitment · dodging · sidestepping
absorption
Process of taking in
- attentivenessConcentrated awareness of surroundings
- opennessQuality of being accessible
- open-mindednessAcceptance of differing viewpoints
listening · acceptance · perceptiveness · sensitivity · contemplation · mindfulness · allowing · receiving · non-interference · witnessing
- mental blocksmental block, self-doubt, self-sabotage, procrastination, self-criticism
- nonparticipationnonparticipation, noninvolvement, noninterference, nonintervention, abstention
- political apathyvoter apathy, political apathy, nonvoting, non-voting, low turnout
- wrestlingbody slam, wrestlers, takedown, pinfall, suplex
- attitudespositive, negative, ambition, apathy, curiosity
- behaviorshabit, aggressive, agitation, conduct, sneezing
passivityactivity
Engagement in doing
action · activism · activeness · dynamism · initiative
passivityaggression
Hostile or attacking behavior
assertiveness · dominance · forcefulness · aggressiveness · resistance
passivityengagement
Commitment to wed or attend
involvement · participation · curiosity · passion · enthusiasm
passion, patient, patience, passive, compassion, passively, passiveness, passives, passive-aggressive