passive

comparative more passive · superlative most passive

1. Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
2. Taking no action.

   He remained passive during the protest.

   Synonyms: idle, inactive, abeyant, at rest, cessant, dormant, dull, fallow · Antonyms: active, abuzz, active, agile, airy, alive, animate, animated

3. grammarBeing in the passive voice.
4. human sciencesBeing inactive and submissive in a relationship, especially in a sexual one.

   Synonyms: compliant, pliant, submissive, amenable, biddable, complaisant, compliant, controllable · Antonyms: aggressive, dominant

5. businessNot participating in management.
6. aeronauticsWithout motive power.

   a passive balloon

   2 more examples

   a passive aeroplane

   passive flight, such as gliding and soaring

7. businessOf a component: that consumes but does not produce energy, or is incapable of power gain.
8. Where allowance is made for a possible future event.

   There would be a shuttle service of four trains an hour from Reading, where the rebuilt station also has passive provision for the trains.

   2021 May 5, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Heathrow Western Rail Access scheme 'on hold'”, in RAIL, number 930, page 26

   Antonyms: active

plural passives

1. grammarThe passive voice of verbs.
2. grammarA form of a verb that is in the passive voice.
3. businessA customer who is satisfied with a product or service, but not keen enough to promote it by word of mouth.

   If you want to improve your organization's NPS, you need to follow up with your detractors, passives, and promoters to understand why they answered your question as they did and what you can do better in the future.

   2014, Roy Barnes, Bob Kelleher, Customer Experience For Dummies, page 266

4. businessAny component that consumes but does not produce energy, or is incapable of power gain.

   Reductions In Both Size And Weight Offered By Integrated Passives You may not know it yet, but if you're like most consumers, you want integrated passives.

   2001, The Virginia Engineer, volume 50, page 20

   1 more example

   The components include active devices such as logic, memory, processors, etc.; passives such as capacitors, resistors, crystal oscillators, inductances, etc.; […]

   2010, Sridhar Canumalla, Puligandla Viswanadham, Portable Consumer Electronics: Packaging, Materials, and Reliability

5. abbreviationellipsisgamesEllipsis of passive attack.
6. A thing whose worth decreases with time.