SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
submissive
adjective
Inclined to accept another person's authority or wishes without resistance.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Accepting another's authority
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSubmissive emphasizes lack of resistance. Amenable can simply mean open to persuasion, while subservient adds excessive self-lowering.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See submissive in use
The timid character's submissive response contrasts with her later insistence on being heard.
A submissive colleague routinely accepts the supervisor's wishes without resistance, though she does not degrade herself in the same extreme way.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license