Passive Voice
01 Definition
Passive Voice meaning: A sentence structure where the subject receives the action instead of performing it.
In passive voice, the action happens to the subject, as in 'The update was shipped by the team'. It can hide or downplay who acted and often adds words. Passive voice is not wrong, but overusing it can make marketing copy feel vague and slow.
Why it matters
How Passive Voice fits the work
Recognizing passive voice helps you decide when to tighten copy and when the structure genuinely serves you, such as focusing on the outcome rather than the actor.
In context
Writing 'Your order has been shipped' uses passive voice to focus on the order rather than the warehouse that sent it.
Practical note
Passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or better left unnamed. Problems arise only when it becomes a habit that muddies otherwise clear writing.