George Orwell, in his 1945 essay, wrote that “political language is designed to make lies sound truthful.” He could have been describing passive-aggressive behavior. It’s not outright deception, but ...

Passive-aggressive people rarely tell you exactly what’s bothering them. Instead, their frustration slips out in subtle ways: a backhanded joke, a heavy sigh, an uncharacteristically curt text—all of ...

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been married for 49 years. Of course, we’ve had our ups and downs. My husband, “Sid,” said he was joking at ...