PASSIVENESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does passiveness mean? 

• PASSIVENESS (noun)
  The noun PASSIVENESS has 2 senses:

1. submission to others or to outside influences

2. the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative

  Familiarity information: PASSIVENESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PASSIVENESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Submission to others or to outside influences

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

passiveness; passivity

Hypernyms ("passiveness" is a kind of...):

submissiveness (the trait of being willing to yield to the will of another person or a superior force etc.)

Derivation:

passive (peacefully resistant in response to injustice)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

passiveness; passivity

Hypernyms ("passiveness" is a kind of...):

inactiveness; inactivity; inertia (a disposition to remain inactive or inert)

Attribute:

inactive; passive (lacking in energy or will)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "passiveness"):

apathy; indifference; numbness; spiritlessness (the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally)

listlessness; torpidity; torpidness; torpor (inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy)

Derivation:

passive (lacking in energy or will)

 Context examples 

All passiveness and unconcern had dropped from them.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)