submissive
sub-MIS-iv
/səbˈmɪs.ɪv/
Ready to submit to the authority or control of others; obedient or passive.
Focuses on hierarchy and authority, describing someone who yields power, decisions, or control to someone else.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'submissus', past participle of 'submittere' (to lower, put under, or yield). It entered Middle English in the 16th century to describe lower ranks yielding to superiors.
Word relationships
- obedient: 'Obedient' means following rules or orders, while 'submissive' implies a passive, deferential temperament.
- servile: 'Servile' carries negative weight, implying groveling or slave-like behavior.
- defiant: 'Defiant' means openly resisting and challenging authority.
- rebellious: 'Rebellious' implies active opposition to control or government.
Commonly confused with
- submissive: Often contrasted with 'dominant' in structural, social, or biological hierarchies.
Word family
- submit (verb): To yield to governance or authority.
- submissively (adverb): In a submissive, compliant manner.
- submissiveness (noun): The quality of being submissive or obedient.
Collocations
- submissive role
- submissive posture
- submissive attitude
- become submissive
Example sentences
- "The authoritarian system expected citizens to remain submissive and refrain from questioning official decrees." Sociological Essay
- "The younger wolf displayed submissive posture, lowering its head and tucking its tail before the pack leader." Animal Behavior
Memory hook
Submissive = SUB-mit to the MISSIONS given by others. Submissive = under another's mission.
When not to use
Do not use to describe general shyness; submissiveness is specifically about yielding to authority or dominance.
Fun facts
- Ethologists study submissive displays in canine species, such as rolling onto the back to expose the belly to prevent conflict.
Related words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.