passively

adverb

Definition of passivelynext
as in meekly

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of passively Cancers don’t just passively exist in the body. — Charles J. Dimitroff, The Conversation, 12 June 2026 The people who are going to make a difference are not the ones who seek relaxation and passively use AI to work less. — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 Even better, unlike passively watching a show, cooking requires partners to engage with one another and work toward a shared goal. — Mark Travers, CNBC, 7 June 2026 Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0 employs sodium heat pipes that passively transfer heat away from the reactor core without using power. — Idaho Statesman, 25 June 2026 This is a problem because the electrolyzer is not just passively receiving electricity; its chemical reactions actively depend on it. — New Atlas, 21 June 2026 Rather than providing medication, these states are more often choosing to monitor the miscarriage passively instead of intervening. — Claire Zillman, Fortune, 28 May 2026 Still, any stake should be structured passively, with no voting rights and no board seats, following the precedent of the Intel arrangement, in which the government took a roughly 10 percent nonvoting position last year. — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 Many researchers have theorized that melting Ice Age glaciers likely helped passively shift the Altar Stone closer to southern England’s Salisbury Plain around 2500 BCE, shortening the transport distance for Stonehenge’s creators. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passively
  1. meekly
  2. tamely
  3. calmly
  4. placidly
  5. peacefully
  6. mildly
  7. coolly
  8. serenely
Adverb
  • Sincere meekly hands her a flower from his pocket and sits down, appearing penitent.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • Whether a man chose to use that pistol or meekly give up the money to a robber was up to him.
    — Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of meekly
Adverb
  • Once the players returned to the field, Diaz inexplicably tried a Panenka-style chip and his weak penalty sailed tamely into the arms of Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Dominik Szoboszlai had just squandered a golden chance by firing tamely into the arms of Emiliano Martinez after winning the ball back high up the field when the Kop parked their frustration and vocally declared their unwavering faith in the Dutchman.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Definition of tamely
Adverb
  • Ryan Mendes passed a ball through an Argentine defender’s legs on the right side of the Argentinian box to Deroy Duarte, who calmly took a touch and then slammed a shot through another defender’s legs and then slid it past Martínez into the net.
    — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • Kessler catches an empty side screen involving Anfernee Simons and calmly plays in drop, backpedals smoothly, slides laterally for a stride, opens his hips and tricks Simons to shoot before swatting it away with his left hand.
    — Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of calmly
Adverb
  • The waters of a continent – west from the Rockies and east from the Appalachians – pour into it, sometimes violently, sometimes placidly.
    — Alfredo Sosa, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026
  • Nature is no big deal in Cristian Mungiu‘s superb new drama of systemic order and individual disarray, which takes in the sprawling waters and monochrome mountainscapes of the region with a placidly appreciative eye.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 May 2026
Definition of placidly
Adverb
  • Robinson had agreed to surrender as long as it was done peacefully.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • Philadelphia's celebration 50 years ago was marked by a massive street protest, 40,000 people marching peacefully against war and poverty.
    — Chris Brennan, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of peacefully
Adverb
  • Sweet, mildly tart, and crisp, lemonade is synonymous with summers in the South.
    — Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
  • The mildly spicy Potlatch Classic Seasoning combines paprika with chile pepper, while the Smokehouse Rub strikes a savory-sweet balance.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 1 July 2026
Definition of mildly
Adverb
  • The midfielder who plays professionally at nearby Los Angeles FC coolly chested it down and blasted it off the bounce into the bottom corner of Ronwen Williams’ net before sprinting away to celebrate with Canada’s bench in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
    — Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • Ousmane Dembele — France/Paris Saint-Germain (+8) Finally scored his first career goal at a major tournament for France against Iraq, and also pounced upon a terrible defensive mix-up to coolly give Mbappe a tap-in.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of coolly
Adverb
  • Ahead, Toyota team principal Kobayashi ran serenely to the finish in the No 7, even with Frijns’ pass on Buemi increasing the pressure.
    — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 14 June 2026
  • After 50 minutes of self-satisfaction, the hero fades serenely into a sunset that Dudamel made miraculously mystical.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Definition of serenely

Browse Nearby Words

passive
passively
passiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Passively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passively. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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