What is the meaning of passive voice?

noun

  • The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb.
    • usage: "`The ball was thrown by the boy' uses the passive voice"; "`The ball was thrown' is an abbreviated passive"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). passive voice. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/passive_voice/definitions/1244594
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "passive voice" http://smartdefine.org/passive_voice/definitions/1244594 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, passive voice, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/passive_voice/definitions/1244594>.
MLAWordNet. "passive voice" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/passive_voice/definitions/1244594>