passive-aggressive

English

passive-aggressive (comparative more passive-aggressive, superlative most passive-aggressive)

(psychology) Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations.
Showing covert hostility, intending to cause annoyance or to humiliate, while maintaining a transparent (to the recipient) veneer of politeness.
- 2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎:
  “I Love Lisa” opens with one of my favorite underappreciated running jokes from The Simpsons: the passive-aggressive, quietly contentious relationship of radio jocks Bill and Marty, whose mindless happy talk regularly gives way to charged exchanges that betray the simmering resentment and disappointment perpetually lingering just under the surface of their relationship.
- 2015 February 19, Dean Burnett, “OK, don't read this article about passive-aggressive behaviour. Honestly, it's fine”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:
  Curt texts, unanswered emails, Facebook statuses declaring “someone” to be an idiot, the notorious subtweet; if you can communicate with it, people can be passive aggressive with it. No doubt there were frosty telegrams in centuries gone by.

obstructionism via taking no action

“passive-aggressive, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. "Origin 1940s after passive aggression."
“passive-aggressive”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. "First Known Use of passive-aggressive 1945, in the meaning defined above"