submissive

/səbˈmɪsɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /səbˈmɪsɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /səb-ˈmi-siv/ (ame, mw)

submissive — 形容詞

  • submissivepositive
  • more submissivecomparative
  • most submissivesuperlative

1. willing to let other people tell you what to do, without questioning or arguing

1.形容詞B2
釋義

順從的

順從他人意願、不反抗的

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.

例句

Deepak spoke in a submissive tone, agreeing with everything the manager said.

Deepak 用順從的語氣說話，對經理說的每一件事都表示同意。

collocation: submissive tone

The dog rolled onto its back in a submissive posture when Yumi raised her voice.

Yumi 一提高聲音，那隻狗就翻身露出肚子，擺出順從的姿勢。

collocation: submissive posture

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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.

常見錯誤

❌He was submissive to follow the rules.
✅He was submissive and followed the rules without question.
💡'submissive' already implies obedience; avoid pairing it with 'to follow' as if it were an adjective taking an infinitive.
❌She is very submissive with her parents.
✅She is very submissive to her parents.
💡the preposition used with 'submissive' is 'to', not 'with'.