pass 1 of 3

verb

ˈpas How to pronounce pass (audio)
Definition of passnext
1
as in to hand
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another could you please pass me the phone?

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2
as in to stop
to come to an end eventually, the storm passed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to leave
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another pass your forms to the department head once they're filled out

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4
as in to enact
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action Congress cannot pass any law restricting free speech

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5
as in to happen
to take place and the destruction of the town came to pass, just as the seer had predicted

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6
as in to undergo
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it a presidential candidate who doesn't yet know how it feels to pass the scrutiny of the national press

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7
as in to say
to express (a thought or emotion) in words he'll occasionally pass some insightful comment, but in general he doesn't have much to contribute

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8
as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to we appreciate the invitation to the party, but we'll have to pass I'll pass on the coffee

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9
as in to fly
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval the finished product isn't perfect, but it will pass

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pass

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage a mountain pass that was impassable during the winter

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2
as in road
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel take the second pass on the right

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pass

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
as in ticket
a small sheet of plastic, paper, or paperboard showing that the bearer has a claim to something (as admittance) a pass to leave the military base for the weekend

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2
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something a final pass at the assignment

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3
as in realization
the state of being actual or complete eventually, all their career goals came to pass

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pass
Verb
Huntley targeted Falcons backup cornerback Mike Ford for the touchdown pass a play after Mike Hughes left the game with an injury. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 These vectors pass through the network, and numbers called weights (determined by the model’s training) dictate how they are transformed in each layer. — Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
The relentless Karlaftis didn’t record the Chiefs’ first sack of the game, but got enough of Kirk Cousins’ right arm to create a wobbly pass intercepted by Xavier Nwankpa. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 As for the pass rush unit specifically, there’s been an emphasis in meetings and practice this week on increasing the sack and pressure output. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pass
  1. hand
  2. stop
  3. leave
  4. enact
  5. happen
  6. undergo
  7. say
  8. refuse
Verb
  • When asked, Beckham handed the bottles to Pierce, who noted three different types of pills in the bottle.
    — Steven Mross, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Reputational risks Trump’s regulators are handing ⁠Wall Street banks major capital relief and have already clashed with Democrats when defending their policies during congressional hearings.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of hand
Verb
  • The city’s public works team and its Parks, Recreation and Marine bureau were working to secure it, putting up sandbags and rebuilding the berm to stop water intrusion.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Kodiak says its autonomous system is designed to identify emergency vehicles, stopped vehicles, lane closures and accident scenes.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Composer Ghulam Mohammed died in 1968 after writing the songs, leaving Naushad to complete the background score.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The collection launches with Seeded Natural, an unbleached, undyed fabric that leaves the cotton’s own seeds visible in the weave.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of leave
Verb
  • The legislation enacts new work requirements and greater vetting for Medicaid, the low-income program that thousands of Alaskans depend on for healthcare.
    — Matthew Choi The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • But Marxists who dreamed of a workers’ republic could not compete with the reformers in Congress who enacted such measures as a progressive income tax, antitrust legislation, and a ban on child labor.
    — Michael Kazin, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of enact
Verb
  • His big adult break happened when visiting his sister in San Francisco in 1954.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers can model what happens if copper prices increase sharply or if a newer technology becomes commercially viable years from now.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of happen
Verb
  • Desperate to get that handsome life back, Hagen undergoes an experimental procedure at the hands of a scientist (Naomi Ackie) that initially works only to give way to a scary new reality with shape-shifting skin.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Lung adenocarcinoma, the type of lung cancer that the pope underwent treatment for, is the most common type of lung cancer and a serious illness.
    — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of undergo
Verb
  • After the premiere the other day, [Jones] says, ‘Thanks for paying attention to the character Waylon, because most people wouldn’t.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The company said its team can currently build a robot in about a day, with a target of reducing the process to roughly an hour next year.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of say
Verb
  • Gee refused to budge, saying the 10-year ban was firm and accusing the national organizations of encouraging the break.
    — Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In one instance, a Minnesota hotel that refused to let immigration officers stay there in January apologized after public criticism from DHS, saying the decision violated its internal policies.
    — Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of refuse

Phrases Containing pass

Browse Nearby Words

pasquinading
pass
passable
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Cite this Entry

“Pass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pass. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pass

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pass

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