impassive
/ɪmˈpasɪv
/adjective
Not feeling or showing emotion: his cold, impassive face...
- He had an impassive expression, as if he had been expecting this all along.
- I was about as confused as him, but I didn't let it show, keeping an impassive expression plastered to my face.
- His expression was impassive and I tried not to wilt under the searching gaze of those deep brown eyes.
Synonyms
expressionless, unexpressive, inexpressive, inscrutable, blank, deadpan, poker-faced, straight-faced, dispassionate;
stony, wooden, unresponsive;
empty, vacant, glazed, fixed, lifeless
Derivatives
impassively
/ adverb ...- One thing about the fact that I did not understand the words and the actions meant that I was trying to look at the proceedings as impassively as I could.
- But he sat silently and impassively during the demands for an emergency debate on an issue that is clearly splitting Anglican legislators.
- But on this occasion the police stared back impassively.
impassiveness
/ noun ...- Mirrored on the inside face, with etched glass on the exterior, the 20 mm thick panels reflect the changing light and climatic conditions, creating a sense of calm impassiveness and slight mystery.
- Jen noticed the sharp intake of breath Michael took when he realized she was standing next to him; his entire body tensed up and a look of impassiveness took over his face.
- I tried to keep my face a mask a perfect impassiveness, as he always did, but I knew I looked desperately hopeful.
impassivity
/ noun ...- The learner, seated alongside him, begs him to stop, but with robotic impassivity, he continues the procedure…
- This makes it difficult to see their expressions, though from what I can tell a determined non-expression - a stoic impassivity - is the norm.
- Earlier work in this survey provides signals of what's to come, with people revealing themselves inadvertently just when they think they're best protected, by irony or by the most determined impassivity.