impassive

/ɪmˈpæsɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpæsɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)im-ˈpa-siv/ (ame, mw)

impassive — 形容詞

  • impassivepositive
  • more impassivecomparative
  • most impassivesuperlative

1. Keeping a still, blank look on the face or in the voice, so that other people ca

1.形容詞C1
釋義

面無表情的

臉部或聲音不顯露任何情緒

Keeping a still, blank look on the face or in the voice, so that other people cannot tell what you are feeling — for example, a judge listening to a witness, or a player hearing bad news.

例句

Beatriz kept her face impassive as the lawyer read out the verdict.

律師宣讀判決時，Beatriz 始終面無表情。

kept + [body part] + impassive — common pattern with 'face'

The young goalkeeper stayed impassive even after letting in three goals.

即使被進了三球，那位年輕守門員仍然面無表情。

stay/remain impassive — pattern for holding emotion back over time

同義詞
  • expressionless

    plainer everyday word; same idea but less formal

  • stony

    stronger; suggests a cold, hard look, often deliberate

  • deadpan

    informal; often used of humour delivered with a blank face

  • inscrutable

    formal; emphasises that the feeling cannot be read at all

反義詞
  • expressive

    showing feelings openly on the face or in the voice

  • animated

    lively, with strong visible emotion

用法筆記

Typically modifies 'face', 'expression', 'voice', or the person themselves. Often used of someone who is deliberately hiding feelings rather than someone who has none — so the word implies control, not coldness.

常見錯誤

❌The wall was impassive in the storm.
✅The wall stood firm in the storm.
💡'impassive' is for people or their expressions, not objects.
❌She felt impassive about the news.
✅She showed no reaction to the news.
💡'impassive' describes outward appearance, not the inner feeling.