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 My Co-Worker Is A Flat Earther, And It’s His Last Day

Image credits: kittythedog

#2 I Mean At Least He Put It Aside

Image credits: ikbenandrew

#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 Passive-Aggression Is What Christmas Is All About

Image credits: panoparker

#5 This Happens A Lot With Staff In Hotels. I Can’t Understand The Reasoning Behind It

Image credits: LostVoiceGuy

#6 Shamed By A Passive-Aggressive Fitness App

Image credits: Dr_Skeleton

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 British Passive-Aggressiveness At Its Best

Image credits: Of_The_Ocean_

#8 Neighbors From Hell

Image credits: Mededitor

#9 But Did It Taste Good?

Image credits: chopstckss

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 I Didn’t Realize Wildlife Could Be So Passive-Aggressive

Image credits: CaptainOTT

#11 Passive-Aggressive Road Sign

Image credits: cookinon3burners

#12 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

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 Can’t Even Get Mad At Them

Image credits: Theylovegianni

#14 Time For Banana Bread

Image credits: VictorPopeJr

#15 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

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 Parenting Done Right

Image credits: cydbeer

#17 The Cake At My Co-Worker’s “Going Away” Party

Image credits: STRUGGLING_TO_REMAIN

#18 My Friend’s Mom Is Extremely Passive-Aggressive

Image credits: Loud-Mire

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 This Hotel Is Very Passive-Aggressive

Image credits: srybae

#20 This Passive-Aggressive Email I Got When I Left Things In My Online Cart

Image credits: Sherman2396

#21 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

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 Subway’s Pretty Passive-Aggressive

Image credits: kayluhb

#23 This Car Sticker

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#24 My Professor Sent Me This Passive-Aggressive Email

Image credits: davidhalston

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 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

#26 A Small Passive-Aggressive Sign War In My Small Town

Image credits: JordanFromStache

#27 Why Is My Apple Watch So Passive-Aggressive?

Image credits: Aoibhin_B

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 When Your Ex Writes You An Apology Letter So You Grade It To Send It Back

Image credits: NickLutz12

#29 Got To Love Workplace Bathroom Notes

Image credits: xXx_thatguy

#30 This Passive-Aggressive Road Sign

Image credits: crumbbelly

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 They’re Completely Over Neighbors Not Picking Up Their Dogs Poop

Image credits: Lynncy1

#32 Work Place Passive-Aggression

Image credits: DeePeeJay69

#33 This Passive-Aggressive Dedication

Image credits: Katherine_McDon

#34 Passive-Aggressive Swedes When The Trash Bin At A Bus Stop Was Removed

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#35 The United States Of America From An Alaskan Perspective

Image credits: Pariahdog119

#36 Passive-Aggressive Wii Fit

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#37 A Friend’s Epic Response To Her Anonymous Neighbor’s Passive-Aggressive Request To Mow Her Yard

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#38 This Passive-Aggressive Disabled Parking Sign In France

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#39 $3 For This Passive-Aggressive Gem, Handmade In Wisconsin

Image credits: CatsKittensCatsBunny

#40 Strangely Passive-Aggressive Label For A Moss Killer

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#41 Found This Gem In The College Parking Lot Yesterday

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#42 Enjoy The Most Passive-Aggressive Christmas Card Of All Time. Sent By My 6-Year-Old Daughter’s Friend

Image credits: MickyPKerr

#43 My Parents Sent Me These Last Night. Who Knew I Was Such A Passive-Aggressive Kid

Image credits: Pastlightspeed

#44 Holiday Inn Is Getting A Little Passive-Aggressive

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#45 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

#46 Homemade Passive-Aggressive Road Sign

Image credits: Bryanismyname

#47 I Like My Royal Mail Service To Be Extra Passive-Aggressive

Image credits: reddit.com

#48 It Just Passive-Aggressively Told Me: “It’s Nice To Have Some Time Off”

Image credits: lucyjamesgames

#49 This Airline Got A Little Passive-Aggressive

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#50 Passive-Aggressive Note Left In The Break Room

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#51 This Is What Passive-Aggressive Husbands Do When They’re Mad At Their Wives

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#52 I Love The Passive-Aggressive Attitude This Takeout Place Has

Image credits: CallunaReviews

#53 This Passive-Aggressive Disclaimer On A Smartfood Bag

Image credits: McD-Szechuan

#54 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

#55 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

#56 This Passive-Aggressive Bridal Store Is Doing Personal Violence To Me

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#57 If I Wasn’t Using Their App, I Definitely Won’t, After Seeing This Passive-Aggressive Notification On My iPad

Image credits: jacksonblackwell24

#58 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.”

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#59 Taking Passive-Aggressive To A New Level At The Office

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#60 The Height Of Passive-Aggression

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#61 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

#62 Passive-Aggressive “Art” Appears In The Kitchen. Roommate’s 2-Week-Old Chicken

Image credits: why_so_ordinary

#63 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

#64 Passive-Aggressive Hiring On Point

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#65 The Passive-Aggressive Texts Between Me And My Husband Are Dialling Up This Lockdown

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#66 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

#67 Sign In A Small Welsh Village

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#68 He Slaved Over A Hot Oven All Day To Cook You Those Kitchen Scraps

Image credits: ClydeinLimbo

#69 Is This The Most Passive-Aggressive Email To Receive From Your Manager On A Monday Morning?

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#70 The Health App On My Phone Is Getting A Little Passive-Aggressive

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#71 Am I Being Too Passive-Aggressive?

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#72 I Know My Builds Are Not Great, But No Need To Be Passive-Aggressive About It

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#73 I Think My Spouse’s Mom Has Some Passive-Aggressive Opinion About Me. Merry Christmas

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#74 Passive-Aggressive Instructions

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#75 I Found This Passive-Aggressive Recommendation At Barnes & Noble

“Unlike a certain video game, “Trauma Team” doesn’t disappoint.”

Image credits: TheBanzerker

#76 What A Passive-Aggressive Way To Dig Into Your Ex

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#77 A Bit Of Passive-Aggression To Start The New Year

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#78 Passive-Aggressive Sign At Arts And Crafts Shop

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#79 This Passive-Aggressive Note In The Employee Restroom That Looks Like An Event

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#80 When Duolingo Gets Passive-Aggressive

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#81 A Very Passive-Aggressive Elevator

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#82 Smash 4 Gets Really Passive-Aggressive When You Delete Your Saved Data

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#83 Throwback To The Most Passive-Aggressive Landlord I’ve Ever Had

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#84 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

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#85 I Bet It Worked

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#86 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

#87 My Wife Started Using The Shower I Usually Use. I Got Tired Of Cleaning Her Hair Of The Walls

Image credits: AcerOne17

#88 This Passive-Aggressive Ad

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#89 Debbi Got Mad That People Left The Accommodation Unlivable, With Mold, Bugs, Exposed Wires, And Broken Plumbing

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#90 More Passive-Aggressive Notes At Work

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#91 The Wi-Fi Password For The Tutoring Group I’m In

Image credits: IReallyNeedAHugPls

#92 This Note Someone Left In The Employee Lounge

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#93 My Neighbor Passive-Aggressively Told Me To Mow My Lawn

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#94 Well, I Hope That Is Written In A Special Marker That Wipes Right Off

Image credits: vickto_willy

#95 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

#96 My Girlfriend Buys Passive-Aggressive Coffee Filters

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#97 These Coffee Filters

Image credits: TheRebeccaMetz

#98 She Called Him A Dirty Boy

Image credits: CuzinCash

Source: boredpanda.com