A deliberate and calculated behavior exhibited by an organization or its members, particularly law enforcement agencies, where they feign misunderstanding or lack of capability to fulfill a legal or formal request for information. This tactic is employed as a means of evasion to avoid accountability, transparency, or the disclosure of information that could implicate the organization in illegal activities or misconduct. It is characterized by an outward appearance of cooperation or innocence, masking an intentional effort to obstruct justice or the rightful access to information. This behavior is passive-aggressive in nature because it avoids direct confrontation or refusal while actively working against the requester's aims to uncover truth or obtain justice.

This definition encapsulates the manipulative and obstructive nature of the behavior, emphasizing its purpose as a strategy to evade legal and moral responsibilities.
The police department's refusal to provide the requested documents, coupled with their pretense of not understanding the clear terms of the FOIA request, is a classic case of passive-aggressive strategic incompetence designed to shield themselves from scrutiny.
by I Juana Be Free March 3, 2024
mugGet the Passive-Aggressive Strategic Incompetencemug.

Passive agressive petty

When someone is slick pissed off at you but plays like they aren’t and they do the pettiest things to piss you off and get back at you.
Tom is so passive agressive petty when he turns on the dishwasher while meghan takes a shower so the water shuts off on her leaving shampoo in her hair…..again.
by MamaNasty May 13, 2025
mugGet the Passive agressive pettymug.

racial passive

Similar to white privilege, a "racial passive" is a term to say Jewish people have an advantage/get away with more than others.

It can generally be used to describe someone with an advantage due to being a certain race.
When Jose said I had a "racial passive" it was a code for me allegedly being Jewish.
by Downvoting Victim June 13, 2023
mugGet the racial passivemug.

japanese-passive

A gesture, usually seen on Japanese community, especially during conflicts, wherein their facial expressions is exhibiting "seemingly forced" positivity, but in reality, they are internalizing "why can't you just die yet?" emotional state.
Hey, I don't like that face after we argue. Are you being japanese-passive?
by pier_psalms August 8, 2021
mugGet the japanese-passivemug.

passive

Indirect, roundabout, or otherwise avoiding something or someone by nature.
He/she wasn't as straightforward as he/she claimed to be, he/she actually had a passive mindset of creeping up from behind and stabbing somebody in the back or shooting them in the head, then letting the other person know what the problem was.
by The Original Agahnim November 4, 2021
mugGet the passivemug.

passive tosser

A person influenced from external forces to have the latest fashion or accessory and then flaunting it.
That bloke is such a fkn passive tosser... He always has an ipod....
He is a passive "ipod" tosser!
by G Cody December 9, 2008
mugGet the passive tossermug.

passivate

to make sb. passive (in analogy to "activate sb.")
Presentation software like PowerPoint passivates students.
by Jochen Lüders September 4, 2017
mugGet the passivatemug.

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