Lucas's behavior is passive-aggressive: continuously expressing negative feelings, resentment, and aggression in an unassertive, passive manner.
Other studies found that socially anxious people are less likely to reciprocate smiles and more likely to act in an unassertive, submissive manner (Hopko, McNeil, Zvolensky, & Eifert, 2001; Rodebaugh, Gianoli, Turkheimer, & Oltmanns, 2010; Russell et al., 2011; Weeks, Heimberg, & Reinhardt, 2011).
His slight figure, unassertive manner and understated rehearsal technique disguised a steely pursuit of perfection – but he placed his trust in his musicians and reserved their energy for the concert itself.
But his quiet, unassertive manner belied his political skillfulness and daring, and he quickly reversed longtime policy and pushed a huge spending package and a number of other economic measures through Parliament that temporarily halted Japan's economic slide, though at a heavy cost to taxpayers.
He is also widely seen as an unassertive crony of Gulab Mangal, the provincial governor.
She possessed an unassertive goodness, which may well explain why she was so adept at making kind characters interesting.
Mr. Uvarov, a fine dancer whose image is elongated and vertical in his air turns, offered an unassertive but elegant Albrecht.
But an extrovert can be a very unassertive follower of a crowd while an introvert might confidently stand up to one.
In an approving manner, I should add.
Inferences work in an analogous manner.
Disagree in an agreeable manner.
