Passive-aggressive?

[emjay]

I'd say it's something I'm aware of doing or wanting to do sometimes, but it's not something I like doing, and generally try to check it if I catch myself at it. I'd take it to mean, at least in social circles including online like here; if any time you say something you have someone or something specific in mind but don't reference them/it, I'd call that the passive part... you imply rather than explicitly state, sometimes more subtly than others. But I'd say it can be not only aggression but also praise that can follow the passive part, depending on whether you feel positively or negatively about the unstated person/thing in mind.... so I'd say passive-praise is also a thing. I think the more specific the implication... ie the more likely it is to be understood by others who or what it's referring to... the more uncomfortable and wrong it feels to do if it's aggressive.