impassive

adjective

im·​pas·​sive (ˌ)im-ˈpa-siv 

1

: giving no sign of feeling or emotion : expressionless

2

a

: unsusceptible to or destitute of emotion : apathetic

b

: unsusceptible to physical feeling : insensible

c

archaic : unsusceptible to pain

impassively adverb

impassiveness noun

impassivity

ˌim-ˌpa-ˈsi-və-tē 

noun

Synonyms

• affectless
• apathetic
• cold-blooded
• emotionless
• impassible
• numb
• passionless
• phlegmatic
• stoic
• stoical
• stolid
• undemonstrative
• unemotional

Choose the Right Synonym for impassive

impassive, stoic, phlegmatic, apathetic, stolid mean unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion.

impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression.

met the news with an impassive look

stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline.

was resolutely stoic even in adversity

phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.

a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears

apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.

charitable appeals met an apathetic response

stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.

stolid workers wedded to routine

Examples of impassive in a Sentence

Her face remained impassive throughout the trial.

she remained impassive as the officers informed her of her son's death

Recent Examples on the Web

After exercising a vice-like grip over the golfing realm with an impassive coolness for months on end, the world No. 1’s unflappable brilliance finally buckled during the second round of the 124th US Open on Friday. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 June 2024

Joe Turkel registers strongly as an elegant, impassive bartender, and Danny Lloyd is acceptably childlike or demonic, as the script demands. —Arthur Knight, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 June 2024

But in centering an embodiment of impassive evil rather than his targets, In a Violent Nature could just as easily be taken as a comment on the gorehound side of the genre, separating itself from all that pesky character development and focusing only on its means of serving up carnage. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 31 May 2024

In some ways, Restrepo and Armadillo are the Groundhog Day of the Afghan war, in which life repeats anew every morning: platoons venture out on patrol, attempt to talk to impassive villagers, are occasionally fired on, shoot back, and then return to base, day after day. —Bing West, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Kids Definition

impassive

adjective

im·​pas·​sive (ˈ)im-ˈpas-iv 

: not feeling or not showing emotion

impassively adverb

impassivity

ˌim-ˌpas-ˈiv-ət-ē 

noun