submissive
/səbˈmɪsɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /səbˈmɪsɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /səb-ˈmi-siv/ (ame, mw)
submissive — adjective
- submissivepositive
- more submissivecomparative
- most submissivesuperlative
1. willing to let other people tell you what to do, without questioning or arguing
willing to let other people tell you what to do, without questioning or arguing with them, often because you accept that they have more power or authority than you.
Deepak spoke in a submissive tone, agreeing with everything the manager said.
collocation: submissive tone
The dog rolled onto its back in a submissive posture when Yumi raised her voice.
collocation: submissive posture
Amara refused to play a submissive role in the project and shared her own ideas.
Henrik's overly submissive behavior made his teammates question whether he had any opinions of his own.
Sofia took a submissive stance during the debate and simply nodded along with everyone else.
- obedient
more neutral and positive — suggests following rules or orders willingly, not necessarily due to a power imbalance
- docile
suggests a gentle, easy-to-manage nature; often used for animals or children
- passive
focuses on not taking action rather than willingly accepting control
- compliant
more formal; emphasizes following rules or requests without resistance
- assertive
confident and direct in expressing opinions or claiming rights
- dominant
exercising control or influence over others
- rebellious
actively resisting authority or control
文法句型
be + submissive
submissive + noun
用法筆記
Often carries a negative connotation of being too passive or lacking confidence. It is common in discussions of workplace dynamics, animal behavior, and social relationships.