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# submissive

adjective (submissive, more submissive, most submissive); adverb (submissively); noun (submission)

«submissive» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Willing to obey others and do what they want without arguing or standing up for yourself. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#m1)
2. (animals) Showing by body language that you will not fight, like a dog rolling on its back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science, animals show submissive behaviour to stronger animals to avoid fights: a puppy lies down, a wolf tucks its tail. In personal education, being too submissive can mean you do not stand up for yourself; being respectful is different from letting others push you around. If anyone pressures you to do something wrong or unsafe, you can say no and tell a trusted adult. In old stories, servants and children were expected to be submissive.

### Examples

- The puppy rolled over in a submissive way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x1)
- The younger wolf lowered its head to look submissive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x2)
- She was too submissive and always let others choose. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x3)
- The captured knight bowed in a submissive way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x4)
- You can be polite without being submissive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x5)
- In the old story, the servant answered submissively. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x6)
- Remember when you are grown up to be submissive to those who are your superiors, and to be kind to all those who are under you. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/#x7)

### Note

Opposites: assertive, rebellious, dominant. Related verb: submit (to give in; also to hand in homework). Noun submission.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «submissive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/submissive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«submissive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/submissive.html) on Mova free.