passive

Universal Words adjective, noun adjective 1 accepting what happens or what people do without trying to change anything or oppose them: He played a passive role in the relationship. * a passive observer of events * She wore a passive expression on her face as if she didn't care what happened. 2 (grammar) connected with the form of a verb used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb as in He was bitten by a dog.: a passive sentence compareACTIVE passively adverb noun (also passive voice) [sing.] (grammar) the form of a verb used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb compareACTIVE