Passive vs. Proactive — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Passive and Proactive
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Compare with Definitions
Passive
Accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance
The women were portrayed as passive victims
Proactive
(of a person or action) creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened
Employers must take a proactive approach to equal pay
Passive
Denoting a voice of verbs in which the subject undergoes the action of the verb (e.g. they were killed as opposed to the active form he killed them).
Proactive
Acting in advance to deal with an expected difficulty; anticipatory
Proactive steps to prevent terrorism.
Passive
(of a circuit or device) containing no source of electromotive force
A passive optical network is to be installed in 2000 homes
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Proactive
Acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty
We can deal with each problem as it pops up, or we can take a proactive stance and try to prevent future problems.
Passive
(of a metal) made unreactive by a thin inert surface layer of oxide.
Proactive
Descriptive of any event or stimulus or process that has an effect on events or stimuli or processes that occur subsequently;
Proactive inhibition
Proactive interference
Passive
A passive form of a verb.
Proactive
(of a policy or person or action) controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens
Passive
Receiving or subjected to an action without responding or initiating an action in return
The mind viewed as a passive receptacle for sensory experience.
Passive
Accepting or submitting without objection or resistance; submissive
A passive acceptance of one's fate.
Passive
Existing, conducted, or experienced without active or concerted effort
“Although tick paralysis is a reportable disease in Washington, surveillance is passive, and only 10 cases were reported during 1987–1995” (US Department of Health and Human Services). “[Many parents believe] that computers are educational and, at the least, less passive than television” (Laurie Hays).
Passive
Of, relating to, or being certain bonds or shares that do not bear financial interest.
Passive
Of, relating to, or being a solar heating or cooling system that uses no external mechanical power.
Passive
(Grammar) Of, relating to, or being a verb form or voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject is the object of the action or the effect of the verb. For example, in the sentence They were impressed by his manner, were impressed is in the passive voice.
Passive
(Chemistry) Unreactive except under special or extreme conditions; inert.
Passive
(Electronics) Exhibiting no gain or contributing no energy
A passive circuit element.
Passive
The passive voice.
Passive
A verb or construction in the passive voice.
Passive
Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
Passive
Taking no action.
He remained passive during the protest.
Passive
(grammar) Being in the passive voice.
Passive
(psychology) Being inactive and submissive in a relationship, especially in a sexual one.
Passive
(finance) Not participating in management.
Passive
(aviation) Without motive power.
A passive balloon; a passive aeroplane; passive flight, such as gliding and soaring
Passive
(electronics) Of a component: that consumes but does not produce energy, or is incapable of power gain.
Passive
Where allowance is made for a possible future event.
Passive
(grammar) The passive voice of verbs.
Passive
(grammar) A form of a verb that is in the passive voice.
Passive
(marketing) A customer who is satisfied with a product or service, but not keen enough to promote it by word of mouth.
Passive
(electronics) Any component that consumes but does not produce energy, or is incapable of power gain.
Passive
Not active, but acted upon; suffering or receiving impressions or influences; as, they were passive spectators, not actors in the scene.
The passive airUpbore their nimble tread.
The mind is wholly passive in the reception of all its simple ideas.
Passive
Receiving or enduring without either active sympathy or active resistance; without emotion or excitement; patient; not opposing; unresisting; as, passive obedience; passive submission.
The best virtue, passive fortitude.
Passive
Inactive; inert; unreactive; not showing strong affinity; as, red phosphorus is comparatively passive.
Passive
Designating certain morbid conditions, as hemorrhage or dropsy, characterized by relaxation of the vessels and tissues, with deficient vitality and lack of reaction in the affected tissues.
Passive
The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb;
`The ball was thrown by the boy' uses the passive voice
`The ball was thrown' is an abbreviated passive
Passive
Lacking in energy or will;
Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself
Passive
Peacefully resistant in response to injustice;
Passive resistance
Passive
Expressing thatthe subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb;
Academics seem to favor passive sentences
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