Passive-aggressive people can spread a lot of toxicity and heighten the tension in pretty much any environment. However, when done with a healthy dollop of self-awareness and a dash of good humor, this type of behavior has the power to entertain, and not just push everyone toward anxiety, stress, and even more anxiety.
Our humor-loving team here at Bored Panda has collected some of the most hilarious cases of passive-aggression from all around the net. We hope you’ve got some way to take notes because this out-of-the-box thinking might come in handy the next time you want to teach someone a lesson but don’t want to seem too bratty about it.
#1 I Mean At Least He Put It Aside
Image credits: ikbenandrew
#2 But Did It Taste Good?
Image credits: chopstckss
#3 My Fitness App
Image credits: Robo_Puppy
As a whole, passive-aggressive behavior is something that you really want to avoid. It has the potential to damage people’s well-being on a phenomenal scale, whether it happens at the office or elsewhere.
At its core, this sort of behavior causes issues for everyone because it creates a deep dissonance between the front someone’s presenting (e.g. that everything’s all right and that everyone’s doing well) and the reality of the situation (e.g. that there are plenty of problems that need urgent attention). Folks might embrace passive aggression because they hate conflict, may not know how to have healthy arguments, or because they enjoy criticizing everyone around them.
#4 Shamed By A Passive-Aggressive Fitness App
Image credits: Dr_Skeleton
#5 Passive-Aggression Is What Christmas Is All About
Image credits: panoparker
#6 Time For Banana Bread
Image credits: VictorPopeJr
According to the Harvard Business Review, passive-aggressive bosses can find ways to shut down your ideas without explaining what’s wrong, or they might act dismissively toward you by rolling their eyes, ignoring you when you’re speaking, or (over) using sarcasm. Naturally, that causes a lot of frustration to build up in the workplace. After all, it’s an unpleasant feeling to know that your boss doesn’t respect or trust you enough to treat you like an equal.
HBR suggests building a strong support network to counteract passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace. If you have a network of professionals who can offer you advice and give you another perspective on what’s going on in the office, this can help prevent you from second-guessing your actions. This can also help you switch teams or even departments if things really get out of hand.
#7 My Co-Worker Is A Flat Earther, And It's His Last Day
Image credits: kittythedog
#8 This Happens A Lot With Staff In Hotels. I Can't Understand The Reasoning Behind It
Image credits: LostVoiceGuy
#9 Pettiness Level 100,000,00. My Husband Was Angry This Morning, So He Decided He Was Only Making His Half Of The Bed
Image credits: bearfoxmousemushroom
Meanwhile, keep a (digital) paper trail of your interactions with your boss. Keep a tab on all of (what you think was) passive-aggressive behavior. This way, you’ll be able to look at your professional relationship with them more objectively, later on. It’ll also serve as proof if you ever decide to speak to HR or your superiors about your manager’s actions.
#10 My Buddy Is Going Through A Divorce And Just Found Out His Wife's Family Is Still Using His Amazon Video After A Year Of Her Not Signing. So He Did This
Image credits: _MothMan
#11 Can't Even Get Mad At Them
Image credits: Theylovegianni
#12 I Stated Twice That I Wanted To Have A Sandwich With No Onions. Needless To Say, The Sandwich Came With Onions, And I Lost My Temper
I was on a lunch break when I did this. The owner of the restaurant was too busy flirting with people to take my order. Literally, 15 minutes of us waiting with no one in line ahead of us. After he was done wasting half of my lunch break, he asked what I wanted.
Image credits: Weevkin
Though gossip has its uses (hey, it helps spread important information!), it has the potential to wreak havoc in the workplace if the people spreading it are mean-spirited. Nobody enjoys being talked about behind their back. If your boss happens to be a huge fan of gossip, you shouldn’t stoop to their level and gossip in turn. Take the high road. And remember that it’s not gossip if someone’s actively looking for solutions to very real problems at work.
#13 Why Is My Apple Watch So Passive-Aggressive?
Image credits: Aoibhin_B
#14 This Passive-Aggressive Email I Got When I Left Things In My Online Cart
Image credits: Sherman2396
#15 My Professor Sent Me This Passive-Aggressive Email
Image credits: davidhalston
If talking to HR or your superiors doesn’t work, if you’ve tried switching teams and you’re still hounded by passive-aggressive behavior everywhere you turn, it might be time to consider looking for greener pastures. Evaluate your mental and emotional health as honestly as you can, and think about how workplace toxicity is affecting your work-life balance and mood. If you’re burned out, you don’t have to jump ship immediately, but it can help to begin the hunt for a better company with more open and honest colleagues and an overall healthier culture.
#16 I Didn't Realize Wildlife Could Be So Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: CaptainOTT
#17 Parenting Done Right
Image credits: cydbeer
#18 Neighbors From Hell
Image credits: Mededitor
According to BBC Worklife, passive-aggressive behavior is mostly concentrated in the workplace. A May 2022 survey conducted by Preply found that a fifth of all respondents said that it was their coworkers who were most likely to exhibit such behavior in their lives. 73% of respondents said that they had to handle passive-aggressive comments at work while 52% notes that this happens on a weekly basis.
“Such behaviors reflect a way to display opposition, discontent, and aggression without defying social norms. Such behaviors leave the aggressor in relative safety as compared to acts of active aggression, as they can more easily deny that the aggression happened,” Wladislaw Rivkin, an associate professor in organizational behavior at Trinity Business School, Dublin, told the BBC.
#19 Passive-Aggressive Road Sign
Image credits: cookinon3burners
#20 Subway's Pretty Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: kayluhb
#21 This Car Sticker
Image credits: balasurr
Sankalp Chaturvedi, professor of organizational behavior and leadership at Imperial College Business School, London adds: “These behaviors often involve negative emotions, which may spill over from one employee to another, and create a negative environment for all. At a company level, these passive-aggressive behaviors have negative effects on the company productivity, co-workers' behavior and in cumulatively workplace culture.”
#22 The Cake At My Co-Worker's "Going Away" Party
Image credits: STRUGGLING_TO_REMAIN
#23 British Passive-Aggressiveness At Its Best
Image credits: Of_The_Ocean_
#24 This Hotel Is Very Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: srybae
It’s exactly because passive-aggressive behavior is so subtle that it can be incredibly difficult for companies to address it. In short, someone who’s being passive-aggressive can simply deny that they’re behaving that way. The worst of the bunch will try to spin things in such a way that they present themselves as the victim instead of the bully.
#25 My Passive-Aggressive Co-Worker Saw Me Shut A Slightly Open Drawer On My Way To The Bathroom. I Came Back Out To This
Image credits: ZorkfromOrk
#26 My Co-Worker Has A Tendency To Spill His Cereal Walking Out Of The Kitchen In The Morning And Just Leave It There. I Made It As A Modern Art
Image credits: unthused
#27 Got To Love Workplace Bathroom Notes
Image credits: xXx_thatguy
New York-based career expert Amanda Augustine, from TopCV advises people to do their best to control their emotions when faced with passive-aggressive coworkers. “Force yourself to remain calm, regardless of what your colleague says or does. While this is easier said than done, denying your colleague the reaction they crave will help you put an end to their passive aggression,” she says.
#28 This Passive-Aggressive Road Sign
Image credits: crumbbelly
#29 Passive-Aggressive Wii Fit
Image credits: smokumjoe
#30 Passive-Aggressive Swedes When The Trash Bin At A Bus Stop Was Removed
Image credits: jowarcruz
Which of these posts entertained you the most, dear Pandas? Do you often have to deal with other people’s passive aggression, whether at work, home, or elsewhere? How do you face that type of behavior? Feel free to drop by the comment section at the end of the article to share your thoughts.
Meanwhile, for some more passive-aggression (just not the lighthearted kind), take a peek at Bored Panda’s earlier features here and here.
#31 Found This Gem In The College Parking Lot Yesterday
Image credits: emhelen1121
#32 When Your Ex Writes You An Apology Letter So You Grade It To Send It Back
Image credits: NickLutz12
#33 This Airline Got A Little Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: mikelclarence
#34 They're Completely Over Neighbors Not Picking Up Their Dogs Poop
Image credits: Lynncy1
#35 $3 For This Passive-Aggressive Gem, Handmade In Wisconsin
Image credits: CatsKittensCatsBunny
#36 This Is What Passive-Aggressive Husbands Do When They're Mad At Their Wives
Image credits: Leon_Cooper
#37 Strangely Passive-Aggressive Label For A Moss Killer
Image credits: airway38
#38 This Passive-Aggressive Disabled Parking Sign In France
Image credits: madcaplaughed
#39 Passive-Aggressive Note Left In The Break Room
Image credits: glendabroussard
#40 Passive-Aggressive Hiring On Point
Image credits: TrueNoob91
#41 Homemade Passive-Aggressive Road Sign
Image credits: Bryanismyname
#42 I Found Some Concrete Passive-Aggressiveness In Champaign, Illinois
"Donated to the city of Champaign by National City Bank after two years of no action."
Image credits: tachoknight
#43 My Friend's Mom Is Extremely Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: Loud-Mire
#44 Taking Passive-Aggressive To A New Level At The Office
Image credits: tallyrue
#45 I Think My Spouse's Mom Has Some Passive-Aggressive Opinion About Me. Merry Christmas
Image credits: justynebean
#46 Enjoy The Most Passive-Aggressive Christmas Card Of All Time. Sent By My 6-Year-Old Daughter's Friend
Image credits: MickyPKerr
#47 Is This The Most Passive-Aggressive Email To Receive From Your Manager On A Monday Morning?
Image credits: ManILoveFarming
#48 What A Passive-Aggressive Way To Dig Into Your Ex
Image credits: Ocean-in-Motion
#49 My Parents Sent Me These Last Night. Who Knew I Was Such A Passive-Aggressive Kid
Image credits: Pastlightspeed
#50 Like He's Done Every Year, My Dad Has Crossed Out The Passages That He Doesn't Feel Apply To Me In My Birthday Card
I'll never forget June of 2004 when the entire thing was crossed out.
Image credits: Kathbum
#51 I Found This Passive-Aggressive Recommendation At Barnes & Noble
"Unlike a certain video game, "Trauma Team" doesn't disappoint."
Image credits: TheBanzerker
#52 A Small Passive-Aggressive Sign War In My Small Town
Image credits: JordanFromStache
#53 Passive-Aggressive "Art" Appears In The Kitchen. Roommate's 2-Week-Old Chicken
Image credits: why_so_ordinary
#54 A Friend's Epic Response To Her Anonymous Neighbor's Passive-Aggressive Request To Mow Her Yard
Image credits: scorpyo72
#55 Am I Being Too Passive-Aggressive?
Image credits: LaconicStraightMan
#56 The Health App On My Phone Is Getting A Little Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: neoprenewedgie
#57 I Don't Know What I Did, But I Feel Like My Boyfriend Is Being Passive-Aggressive. I'm Too Short To Reach The Top Shelves. I'm The Only One Who Drinks Cocoa
Image credits: punkpiggy315
#58 Holiday Inn Is Getting A Little Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: akfromla
#59 It Just Passive-Aggressively Told Me: "It's Nice To Have Some Time Off"
Image credits: lucyjamesgames
#60 My Passive-Aggressive Art Gallery Is Thriving, Although Some Critics Don't Care For My Emphasis On Found Pieces
"1st - Cheese knife.
2nd - Sour cream-covered spoon left in the sink before leaving town for four days.
3rd - Knife left out on the counter in striking distance of knife block, having been only used to remove the seal of the ice cream carton, which was also left on the counter, leaving quite the sight as the last thing I saw before I gratefully left town for two weeks.
4th - Boxes left on the couch because what even is breaking them down and recycling or even leaving them not on the couch."
Image credits: justincousson
#61 This Passive-Aggressive Disclaimer On A Smartfood Bag
Image credits: McD-Szechuan
#62 My Wife Started Using The Shower I Usually Use. I Got Tired Of Cleaning Her Hair Of The Walls
Image credits: AcerOne17
#63 He Slaved Over A Hot Oven All Day To Cook You Those Kitchen Scraps
Image credits: ClydeinLimbo
#64 Work Place Passive-Aggression
Image credits: DeePeeJay69
#65 Passive-Aggressive Sign At Arts And Crafts Shop
Image credits: nacho17
#66 If I Wasn't Using Their App, I Definitely Won't, After Seeing This Passive-Aggressive Notification On My iPad
Image credits: jacksonblackwell24
#67 The Height Of Passive-Aggression
Image credits: JerkyOnassis
#68 I Love The Passive-Aggressive Attitude This Takeout Place Has
Image credits: CallunaReviews
#69 Passive-Aggressive Instructions
Image credits: MichieD
#70 This Passive-Aggressive Bridal Store Is Doing Personal Violence To Me
Image credits: derridalicious
#71 Debbi Got Mad That People Left The Accommodation Unlivable, With Mold, Bugs, Exposed Wires, And Broken Plumbing
Image credits: phroggyboiii
#72 My Girlfriend Buys Passive-Aggressive Coffee Filters
Image credits: 1b1d
#73 The United States Of America From An Alaskan Perspective
Image credits: Pariahdog119
#74 This Passive-Aggressive Dedication
Image credits: Katherine_McDon
#75 My Passive-Aggressive Co-Worker Got Tired Of The Buckets Of Water Collecting In Her Office From The Leaking Ceiling, So She Made An Aquarium
Image credits: walker2011
#76 A Very Passive-Aggressive Elevator
Image credits: Uptownflunk
#77 When Duolingo Gets Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: halsey
#78 I Know My Builds Are Not Great, But No Need To Be Passive-Aggressive About It
Image credits: kubukoz
#79 My Neighbor Down The Street Insists That He Parks His Car In Front Of My House. But The Garbage Needs To Be Picked Up. So I Gave Him A Hint
Image credits: SidekickMama
#80 Throwback To The Most Passive-Aggressive Landlord I've Ever Had
Image credits: HannahPilkes
#81 This Passive-Aggressive Ad
Image credits: MajinSkull
#82 More Passive-Aggressive Notes At Work
Image credits: cryptus
#83 My Neighbor Passive-Aggressively Told Me To Mow My Lawn
Image credits: paintlegz
#84 The Passive-Aggressive Texts Between Me And My Husband Are Dialling Up This Lockdown
Image credits: Christie_Whelan
#85 Well, I Hope That Is Written In A Special Marker That Wipes Right Off
Image credits: vickto_willy
#86 The Wi-Fi Password For The Tutoring Group I'm In
Image credits: IReallyNeedAHugPls
#87 Smash 4 Gets Really Passive-Aggressive When You Delete Your Saved Data
Image credits: CaptainBetts
#88 A Bit Of Passive-Aggression To Start The New Year
Image credits: TimmyOKeeffe
#89 This Note Someone Left In The Employee Lounge
Image credits: Rodger_Smith
#90 I Just Put This On Our Fence After Spending Half An Hour Clearing Up Massive Turds Outside Our House. I've Tried To Avoid Being Massively Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: lagoon83
#91 I Like My Royal Mail Service To Be Extra Passive-Aggressive
Image credits: reddit.com
#92 I Think My Grandma Left Me A Passive-Aggressive Note In A Birthday Card
"Taste the cake. Have a great birthday! Buy your own gift. Love, Grandma"
Image credits: walrusew
#93 This Passive-Aggressive Note In The Employee Restroom That Looks Like An Event
Image credits: jackfruit84
#94 My Wife Started A New Job 2 Weeks Ago, And Today She Found This In The Office Kitchen. Someone Paid $2 In Cents
"To whom wrote the yellow sticky on the fridge, I did not take your whole foods seltzer. But I would like to replace it and provide you with the $2 you requested. I would pay any price to reduce negative vibes. Please enjoy the bubbly."
Image credits: lexm
#95 I Bet It Worked
Image credits: MisterFirth
#96 These Coffee Filters
Image credits: TheRebeccaMetz
#97 She Called Him A Dirty Boy
Image credits: CuzinCash
#98 Sign In A Small Welsh Village
Image credits: scullyftw
