SUBMISSIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does submissive mean? 

• SUBMISSIVE (adjective)
  The adjective SUBMISSIVE has 2 senses:

1. inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination

2. abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant

  Familiarity information: SUBMISSIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SUBMISSIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination

Context example:

replacing troublemakers with more submissive people

Similar:

abject (showing humiliation or submissiveness)

bowed; bowing (showing an excessively deferential manner)

meek; spiritless (evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant)

cringing; groveling; grovelling; wormlike; wormy (totally submissive)

dominated; henpecked (harassed by persistent nagging)

Also:

unassertive (inclined to timidity or lack of self-confidence)

obedient (dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority)

humble (marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful)

subordinate (subject or submissive to authority or the control of another)

Antonym:

domineering (tending to domineer)

Derivation:

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

submit (yield to another's wish or opinion)

submit (yield to the control of another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant

Synonyms:

slavish; submissive; subservient

Context example:

she has become submissive and subservient

Similar:

servile (submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior)

Derivation:

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

submit (yield to the control of another)

 Context examples 

All that has ever been in my mind, since I was married, she said in a low, submissive, tender voice, I will lay bare before you.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Instead of speaking, I smiled; and not a very complacent or submissive smile either.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

And Laurie sat down with a submissive expression delightful to behold.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Harriet kissed her hand in silent and submissive gratitude.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But the remembrance of what I had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could do, and the promise of honour I made them—for so I interpreted my submissive behaviour—soon drove out these imaginations.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

She was anxious, she knew—more anxious perhaps than she ought to be—for what was it after all whether she went or staid? but if her uncle were to be a great while considering and deciding, and with very grave looks, and those grave looks directed to her, and at last decide against her, she might not be able to appear properly submissive and indifferent.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Not that Marianne appeared to distrust the truth of any part of it, for she listened to it all with the most steady and submissive attention, made neither objection nor remark, attempted no vindication of Willoughby, and seemed to shew by her tears that she felt it to be impossible.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

A submissive spirit might be patient, a strong understanding would supply resolution, but here was something more; here was that elasticity of mind, that disposition to be comforted, that power of turning readily from evil to good, and of finding employment which carried her out of herself, which was from nature alone.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Happy, thoughtful times there in the old study which Jo called 'the church of one member', and from which she came with fresh courage, recovered cheerfulness, and a more submissive spirit.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

If he shows his face near it, mine assumes an imploring and submissive expression.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)