Impassive

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Impassive

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adjective

Pronunciation

im-PAS-iv  /ɪmˈpasɪv/

Definition

Not showing or feeling any emotion; having or revealing no sign of feeling; calm and composed; without sensation or feeling.

Plain meaning

Impassive means showing no emotion at all — a face, a person, or a manner that gives nothing away. An impassive judge listens to both sides without any expression. A poker player who is impassive reveals nothing about their hand. The word describes both the absence of visible emotion and, in some uses, the absence of feeling itself. It implies remarkable self-control or, in more critical uses, coldness.

Register

Neutral to slightly formal. Impassive is used across registers. It can be admiring (he remained impassive under enormous pressure) or critical (she was entirely impassive to their suffering). The word is strong — stronger than calm or composed — and implies a complete absence of visible emotion.