passive-aggressive

The behavior of an individual who uses covert actions to fight another person or organization. The individual may feel angry but powerless in direct confrontations, so he or she becomes obstructionistic, obstinate, and inefficient and tends to pout and procrastinate. Because the anger is often unconscious, the reaction is also usually unconscious. When this behavior is deeply ingrained and persists through many situations and life phases, it may indicate the presence of a personality disorder.