Meaning & use
impassively
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Meaning
adverb
Without showing any emotion or feeling; in a calm, unemotional way.
Grammar: Used to describe how an action is done, often after verbs like 'listen', 'watch', 'stare', or 'say'.
Patterns
- listen impassively
- watch impassively
- stare impassively
- say something impassively
She listened impassively as the criticism was read out.
He watched the argument impassively, not saying a word.
The judge stared impassively at the defendant.
Common combinations
- listen impassively
- The audience listened impassively to the long speech.
- watch impassively
- The guard watched impassively as the crowd grew restless.
- stare impassively
- He stared impassively at the painting, revealing nothing.
- react impassively
- She reacted impassively to the surprising news.
Synonyms and how they differ
- blankly
- Suggests a lack of expression or understanding, often with a vacant look; 'impassively' emphasizes control of emotion rather than confusion.
- stoically
- Focuses on enduring pain or hardship without complaint; 'impassively' simply means showing no emotion, not necessarily enduring something difficult.
- unemotionally
- A more direct synonym, but less common and more formal; 'impassively' is often used in literary or descriptive contexts.
Opposites
Word family
- impassive adjective
- Showing no emotion; calm and unemotional.
- impassivity noun
- The state of being impassive; lack of emotion.
Commonly confused: impassively or passively? impassively or impatiently?
impassively vs passively
Means 'in a passive way; without active response or resistance'. 'Impassively' is about not showing emotion, while 'passively' is about not taking action.
impassively vs impatiently
Means 'in a way that shows annoyance or lack of patience'. It is almost the opposite of 'impassively'.
Practice
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'He received the bad news ______, showing no emotion at all.'
Choose one answer.
'Impassively' means without showing emotion, which fits the context of receiving bad news without any visible reaction. 'Passively' would mean he did not resist or act, not that he hid his feelings. 'Impatiently' and 'emotionally' are the opposite of the intended meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “impassively”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.