passively

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "passively" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action or behavior that is done in a non-active or non-involved manner. Example: "She passively accepted the changes without voicing her opinion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

By looking on passively upon this murder of defenceless millions of tortured children, women and men they have become partners to the responsibility".

The Guardian

One final thing that we shouldn't forget is the ability to click on online video: certainly video advertising is hugely powerful when passively consumed but when it's online there is also an option to click immediately and explore or even buy something.

The Guardian

The more often our children are exposed to content – whatever its nature – the more important it will seem to them, and the more often they do so passively the more likely they are to accept that content without challenge.

The Guardian - Opinion

Technology enhances your ability to do all kinds of good things, but also passively to absorb stimulation.

The Guardian - Tech

We assume that we're just at home watching all of this gruesome action unfold on screen passively.

The Guardian

She is quoted as saying: "The juxtaposing of the male figures, with the older men sitting passively, the young man standing (with his green hat band), and the child centrally placed representing the future, suggests an active stance towards a nationalist future".

The Guardian

The best art criticism helps audiences actively engage with art rather than passively consume it.

The Guardian

Immediately after his re-election he announced: "For too long we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens so long as you obey the law we will leave you alone".

The Guardian - Opinion

Don't just passively stand by".

The Guardian - Money

In other cases, gambling income perversely reinforces a culture of dependency, as some tribal members wait passively for their profit share.Indirectly the casinos have also highlighted some bizarre, sometimes unsavoury, aspects of tribal sovereignty.

The Economist

What this means is unclear just how unclear being shown by the fact that although the consortium was willing to identify only eight places where this transcription definitely results in an RNA molecule with a job other than passively carrying the code for a protein, they found another 268 where there was likely to be one, and several thousand more where the data hinted there might be one.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "passively" to clearly indicate a lack of active involvement or resistance. It's particularly useful when contrasting with active participation or intervention.

Common error

Avoid using "passively" when you mean simple agreement or acceptance. "Passively" suggests a lack of action or resistance, not necessarily enthusiastic consent.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "passively" modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action is performed without active participation, intervention, or resistance. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adverb "passively" describes actions performed without active participation or resistance. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage in diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science. While alternatives like "inactively" and "submissively" exist, "passively" offers a specific nuance regarding a lack of intervention. Remember to use "passively" to accurately depict a state of inaction, avoiding confusion with simple agreement. Ludwig's examples showcase the word's broad applicability and proper integration into various sentence structures, reinforcing its value in conveying nuanced meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

without actively participating

Emphasizes the lack of active involvement in a process or situation.

in a non-participatory manner

Highlights the absence of participation in a given activity.

without taking initiative

Focuses on the absence of self-starting action or proactivity.

in a receptive manner

Suggests an openness to receiving information or influence without resistance.

acquiescently

Highlights compliance and agreement without active opposition.

submissively

Emphasizes yielding to authority or control.

indifferently

Implies a lack of interest or concern.

inactively

Focuses on the absence of activity or movement.

by default

Suggests that something happens because there's no active intervention to change it.

by inaction

Emphasizes that something results from a failure to act.

FAQs

How can I use "passively" in a sentence?

You can use "passively" to describe an action done without active involvement or resistance, like "He "passively" accepted the changes".

What are some alternatives to "passively"?

Alternatives to "passively" include "inactively", "submissively", or "acquiescently", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say someone "passively" agreed?

While grammatically correct, "passively" agreed suggests the agreement was made without active enthusiasm or involvement. Consider using "reluctantly" or "tacitly" for more nuance.

What's the difference between "passively" and "actively"?

"Passively" implies a lack of participation or resistance, while "actively" suggests engagement and initiative. One might "passively" observe a situation, while another "actively" intervenes.