submissive

adjective
UK: /səbˈmɪsɪv/
US: /səbˈmɪsɪv/

  1. Willing to obey someone else.

    1. He was very submissive to his boss.
    2. The submissive dog cowered when its owner raised their voice, showing its fear.

  2. Showing that you are willing to obey someone else.

    1. She gave a submissive little nod.
    2. The defendant appeared quiet and submissive throughout the entire court proceedings.

Synonyms

obedient docile compliant yielding
submissive noun

  1. Someone who is willing to obey someone else.

    1. He is a submissive in the relationship.
    2. In some relationships, one partner takes on the role of the submissive.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "submissive" in English means: Willing to obey someone else., Showing that you are willing to obey someone else..

The phonetic transcription of "submissive" is /səbˈmɪsɪv/ in British English and /səbˈmɪsɪv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "submissive": obedient, docile, compliant, yielding.

Example usage of "submissive": "He was very submissive to his boss.". More examples on the page.