pass
Other forms: passed; passing; passes
A document that lets you go somewhere or do something is a pass. You can have a backstage pass at a concert, a three-day pass from a military base, or a hall pass for using the restroom during class.
If you hand something to someone, you can use the verb pass, like when your dad asks you to pass the mashed potatoes. If the hand off is more of a throw or toss, then you are probably referring to a sports pass. You can't complain that no one will pass you the ball if you always stay on the opposite end of the court from where the action is.
Definitions of pass
-
go across or through“We passed the point where the police car had parked”
-
synonyms:
go across, go through
-
types:
- show 31 types...
- hide 31 types...
-
break through, crack
pass through (a barrier)
-
squeak by, squeak through
escape
-
transit
pass across (a sign or house of the zodiac) or pass across (the disk of a celestial body or the meridian of a place)
-
cover, cross, cut across, cut through, get across, get over, pass over, track, traverse
travel across or pass over
-
infiltrate, pass through
pass through an enemy line; in a military conflict
-
run
cover by running; run a certain distance
-
move through, pass across, pass over, pass through, transit
make a passage or journey from one place to another
-
cut
pass directly and often in haste
-
crash
move violently, as through a barrier
-
muscle
make one's way by force
-
overstep, transgress, trespass
pass beyond (limits or boundaries)
-
negociate, negotiate
succeed in passing through, around, or over
-
lock
pass by means through a lock in a waterway
-
make, work
proceed along a path
-
cycle
pass through a cycle
-
blunder, fumble
make one's way clumsily or blindly
-
tramp
cross on foot
-
stride
cover or traverse by taking long steps
-
walk
traverse or cover by walking
-
crisscross
cross in a pattern, often random
-
ford
cross a river where it's shallow
-
claw
move as if by clawing, seizing, or digging
-
jostle
make one's way by jostling, pushing, or shoving
-
bridge
cross over on a bridge
-
jaywalk
cross the road at a red light
-
cut
pass through or across
-
drive, take
proceed along in a vehicle
-
cycle on
come to the starting point of a cycle
-
bushwhack
cut one's way through the woods or bush
-
course
move swiftly through or over
-
hop
traverse as if by a short airplane trip
-
move past“A black limousine passed by when she looked out the window”“He passed his professor in the hall”
-
travel past
-
pass over, across, or through
-
draw, string, thread
thread on or as if on a string
-
lead, run
cause something to pass or lead somewhere
-
types:
- show 16 types...
- hide 16 types...
-
rub
move over something with pressure
-
thread
pass through or into
-
thread
pass a thread through
-
brush
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
-
pumice
rub with pumice, in order to clean or to smoothen
-
gauge
rub to a uniform size
-
puree, strain
rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
-
rosin
rub rosin onto
-
sponge down, sponge off
clean with a sponge, by rubbing
-
worry
touch or rub constantly
-
scour, scrub
clean with hard rubbing
-
abrade, scour
rub hard or scrub
-
blur, smear, smudge, smutch
make a smudge on; soil by smudging
-
grate, scrape
scratch repeatedly
-
pass over, wipe
rub with a circular motion
-
grate
reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface
-
draw, string, thread
-
stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
-
one complete cycle of operations (as by a computer)“it was not possible to complete the computation in a single pass”
-
type of:
-
cycle, oscillation
a single complete execution of a periodically repeated phenomenon
-
cycle, oscillation
-
a flight or run by an aircraft over a target
-
a usually brief attempt
-
the location in a range of mountains of a geological formation that is lower than the surrounding peaks“we got through the pass before it started to snow”
-
synonyms:
mountain pass, notch
-
examples:
- show 4 examples...
- hide 4 examples...
-
Brenner Pass
an Alpine mountain pass connecting Innsbruck in Austria with Bolzano in Italy that has long been a route for trade and for invasions
-
Cumberland Gap
a pass through the Cumberland Mountains between Virginia and Kentucky that early settlers used in order to move west
-
Donner Pass
a mountain pass in northeastern California near Lake Tahoe; site where in 1844 some members of an emigrant party survived by eating those who had died
-
Khyber Pass
a mountain pass of great strategic and commercial value in the Hindu Kush on the border between northern Pakistan and western Afghanistan; a route by which invaders entered India
-
types:
- show 5 types...
- hide 5 types...
-
col, gap
a pass between mountain peaks
-
defile, gorge
a narrow pass (especially one between mountains)
-
saddle, saddleback
a pass or ridge that slopes gently between two peaks (is shaped like a saddle)
-
water gap
a pass in a mountain ridge through which a stream flows
-
wind gap
a pass in a mountain ridge with no stream flowing through it
-
type of:
-
location
a point or extent in space
-
go successfully through a test or a selection process“She passed the new Jersey Bar Exam and can practice law now”
-
synonyms:
make it
-
Antonyms:
-
bomb, fail, flunk, flush it
fail to get a passing grade
-
fail
fall short in what is expected
-
fail
judge unacceptable
- show more antonyms...
-
types:
-
ace, breeze through, nail, pass with flying colors, sail through, sweep through
succeed at easily
-
type of:
-
bring home the bacon, come through, deliver the goods, succeed, win
attain success or reach a desired goal
-
bomb, fail, flunk, flush it
-
grant authorization or clearance for
-
types:
- show 17 types...
- hide 17 types...
-
approbate
approve or sanction officially
-
certificate
authorize by certificate
-
O.K., approve, okay, sanction
give sanction to
-
declare
authorize payments of
-
certify, licence, license
authorize officially
-
commission
charge with a task
-
formalise, formalize, validate
declare or make legally valid
-
sanction
give religious sanction to, such as through on oath
-
visa
approve officially
-
franchise
grant a franchise to
-
charter
grant a charter to
-
back, endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support
be behind; approve of
-
ratify, sign
approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
-
co-sign, cosign
sign jointly
-
probate
establish the legal validity of (wills and other documents)
-
accredit, recognise, recognize
grant credentials to
-
confirm
support a person for a position
-
type of:
-
allow, countenance, let, permit
consent to, give permission
-
go unchallenged; be approved
-
synonyms:
clear
-
types:
-
clear
pass an inspection or receive authorization
-
type of:
-
bring home the bacon, come through, deliver the goods, succeed, win
attain success or reach a desired goal
-
clear
-
make laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislation
-
allow to go without comment or censure
-
accept or judge as acceptable“The teacher passed the student although he was weak”
-
Antonyms:
-
fail
judge unacceptable
-
bomb, fail, flunk, flush it
fail to get a passing grade
- show more antonyms...
-
type of:
-
evaluate, judge, pass judgment
form a critical opinion of
-
fail
-
be superior or better than some standard
-
success in satisfying a test or requirement“his future depended on his passing that test”“he got a pass in introductory chemistry”
-
synonyms:
passing, qualifying
-
any authorization to pass or go somewhere“the pass to visit had a strict time limit”
-
synonyms:
passport
-
types:
-
safe-conduct, safeguard
a document or escort providing safe passage through a region especially in time of war
-
type of:
-
permission
approval to do something
-
safe-conduct, safeguard
-
a complimentary ticket“the star got passes for his family”
-
type of:
-
ticket
a commercial document showing that the holder is entitled to something (as to ride on public transportation or to enter a public entertainment)
-
ticket
-
a document indicating permission to do something without restrictions“the media representatives had special passes”
-
synonyms:
laissez passer
-
types:
-
boarding card, boarding pass
a pass that allows you to board a ship or plane
-
hall pass
written permission from a teacher for a student to be out the classroom and in the halls of the school
-
ticket-of-leave
a permit formerly given to convicts allowing them to leave prison under specific restrictions
-
type of:
-
permission
approval to do something
-
boarding card, boarding pass
-
a permit to enter or leave a military installation“he had to show his pass in order to get out”
-
synonyms:
liberty chit
-
(military) a written leave of absence“he had a pass for three days”
-
type of:
-
leave, leave of absence
the period of time during which you are absent from work or duty
-
leave, leave of absence
-
(baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
-
synonyms:
base on balls, walk
-
type of:
-
accomplishment, achievement
the action of accomplishing something
-
accomplishment, achievement
-
you advance to the next round in a tournament without playing an opponent
-
synonyms:
bye
-
type of:
-
conceding, concession, yielding
the act of conceding or yielding
-
conceding, concession, yielding
-
place into the hands or custody of
-
types:
- show 15 types...
- hide 15 types...
-
give
leave with; give temporarily
-
slip, sneak
pass on stealthily
-
deal
give (a specific card) to a player
-
deliver, fork out, fork over, fork up, hand over, render, turn in
to surrender someone or something to another
-
free, give up, release, relinquish, resign
part with a possession or right
-
commit, confide, entrust, intrust, trust
confer a trust upon
-
entrust, leave
put into the care or protection of someone
-
commend
give to in charge
-
derequisition
release from government control
-
bail
deliver something in trust to somebody for a special purpose and for a limited period
-
give away
formally hand over to the bridegroom in marriage; of a bride by her father
-
give, sacrifice
endure the loss of
-
charge, consign
give over to another for care or safekeeping
-
recommit
commit again
-
obligate
commit in order to fulfill an obligation
-
type of:
-
transfer
cause to change ownership
-
cause to pass“She passed around the plates”
-
synonyms:
make pass
-
types:
- show 8 types...
- hide 8 types...
-
cycle
cause to go through a recurring sequence
-
pass off
cause to be circulated and accepted in a false character or identity
-
pass through
cause to move through
-
lead, run
cause something to pass or lead somewhere
-
reeve
fasten by passing through a hole or around something
-
recycle
cause to repeat a cycle
-
reeve
pass through a hole or opening
-
reeve
pass a rope through
-
be inherited by
-
type of:
-
change hands, change owners
be transferred to another owner
-
change hands, change owners
-
transfer to another; of rights or property“Our house passed under his official control”
-
type of:
-
change
undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
-
change
-
throw (a ball) to another player“Smith passed”
-
type of:
-
throw
propel through the air
-
throw
-
transmit information“pass along the good news”
-
synonyms:
communicate, pass along, pass on, put across
-
types:
- show 34 types...
- hide 34 types...
-
implant, plant
put firmly in the mind
-
send a message
give or constitute a signal, not necessarily verbally
-
relay
pass along
-
get across, put over
communicate successfully
-
bespeak, call for, quest, request
express the need or desire for; ask for
-
acknowledge, receipt
report the receipt of
-
carry
pass on a communication
-
deliver, render, return
pass down
-
message
send as a message
-
message
send a message to
-
order
make a request for something
-
ask
make a request or demand for something to somebody
-
encore
request an encore, from a performer
-
petition
write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing
-
demand
request urgently and forcefully
-
appeal, invoke
request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection
-
supplicate
ask for humbly or earnestly, as in prayer
-
apply
ask (for something)
-
beg, solicit, tap
make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently
-
reserve
obtain or arrange (for oneself) in advance
-
challenge
ask for identification
-
beg off, excuse
ask for permission to be released from an engagement
-
demand
ask to be informed of
-
claim
ask for legally or make a legal claim to, as of debts, for example
-
call for, invite
request the participation or presence of
-
ask in, invite
ask to enter
-
desire
express a desire for
-
beg
ask to obtain free
-
arrogate, claim, lay claim
demand as being one's due or property; assert one's right or title to
-
ask over, ask round, invite
invite someone to one's house
-
call
call a meeting; invite or command to meet
-
ask out, invite out, take out
make a date
-
book, hold, reserve
arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance
-
text
send a brief electronic communication from one cellphone to another
-
type of:
-
communicate, convey, transmit
transfer to another
-
eliminate from the body“Pass a kidney stone”
-
types:
- show 19 types...
- hide 19 types...
-
perspire, sudate, sweat
excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin
-
exudate, exude, ooze, ooze out, transude
release (a liquid) in drops or small quantities
-
urinate
pass after the manner of urine
-
empty, evacuate, void
excrete or discharge from the body
-
ca-ca, defecate, make, stool
have a bowel movement
-
barf, be sick, chuck, disgorge, regurgitate, throw up, vomit, vomit up
eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth
-
distil, distill
give off (a liquid)
-
fume, reek
be wet with sweat or blood, as of one's face
-
transpire
give off (water) through the skin
-
extravasate
geology: cause molten material, such as lava, to pour forth
-
stream
exude profusely
-
gum
exude or form gum
-
release, secrete
generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids
-
swelter
suffer from intense heat
-
wet
make one's bed or clothes wet by urinating
-
stale
urinate, of cattle and horses
-
suction
empty or clean (a body cavity) by the force of suction
-
dung
defecate; used of animals
-
froth
exude or expel foam
-
(sports) the act of throwing the ball to another member of your team
-
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
-
synonyms:
passing, passing game, passing play
-
types:
- show 5 types...
- hide 5 types...
-
aerial, forward pass
a pass to a receiver downfield from the passer
-
lateral, lateral pass
a pass to a receiver upfield from the passer
-
spot pass
a pass to a designated spot on the field; the receiver should arrive at that spot the same time the ball does
-
flare, flare pass
a short forward pass to a back who is running toward the sidelines
-
screen pass
a short forward pass in which the receiver is protected by a screen of blockers
-
type of:
-
football play
(American football) a play by the offensive team
-
of advancing the ball by throwing it
-
pass time in a specific way
-
synonyms:
spend
-
types:
- show 11 types...
- hide 11 types...
-
soldier
serve as a soldier in the military
-
slum
spend time at a lower socio-economic level than one's own, motivated by curiosity or desire for adventure; usage considered condescending and insensitive
-
weekend
spend the weekend
-
holiday, vacation
spend or take a vacation
-
do, serve
spend time in prison or in a labor camp
-
get through, while away
spend or pass, as with boredom or in a pleasant manner; of time
-
sojourn
spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily
-
overwinter, winter
spend the winter
-
summer
spend the summer
-
admit
serve as a means of entrance
-
honeymoon
spend a holiday after one's marriage
-
pass into a specified state or condition
-
pass by
-
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
-
synonyms:
buy the farm, cash in one's chips, choke, conk, croak, decease, die, drop dead, exit, expire, give-up the ghost, go, kick the bucket, pass away, perish, pop off, snuff it
-
break, break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad
stop operating or functioning
-
die
suffer or face the pain of death
-
Antonyms:
-
be born
come into existence through birth
-
types:
- show 9 types...
- hide 9 types...
-
abort
cease development, die, and be aborted
-
asphyxiate, stifle, suffocate
be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
-
buy it, pip out
be killed or die;
-
drown
die from being submerged in water, getting water into the lungs, and asphyxiating
-
predecease
die before; die earlier than
-
famish, starve
die of food deprivation
-
fall
die, as in battle or in a hunt
-
succumb, yield
be fatally overwhelmed
-
strangle
die from strangulation
-
type of:
-
change state, turn
undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
-
break, break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad
-
disappear gradually
-
come to pass
-
synonyms:
come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass off, take place
-
types:
- show 36 types...
- hide 36 types...
-
break, develop, recrudesce
happen
-
arise, come up
result or issue
-
result
come about or follow as a consequence
-
intervene
occur between other events or between certain points of time
-
transpire
come about, happen, or occur
-
give
occur
-
operate
happen
-
supervene
take place as an additional or unexpected development
-
go, proceed
follow a certain course
-
come
come to pass; arrive, as in due course
-
fall
occur at a specified time or place
-
anticipate
be a forerunner of or occur earlier than
-
develop
be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest
-
recur, repeat
happen or occur again
-
come off, go off, go over
happen in a particular manner
-
come around, roll around
happen regularly
-
happen, materialise, materialize
come into being; become reality
-
bechance, befall, happen
happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance
-
bechance, befall, betide
become of; happen to
-
coincide, concur
happen simultaneously
-
backfire, backlash, recoil
come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect
-
chance
be the case by chance
-
break
happen or take place
-
fall, shine, strike
touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly
-
turn out
prove to be in the result or end
-
contemporise, contemporize, synchronise, synchronize
happen at the same time
-
drag, drag on, drag out
proceed for an extended period of time
-
descend, fall, settle
come as if by falling
-
iterate
run or be performed again
-
cycle
recur in repeating sequences
-
condense
develop due to condensation
-
appear, come out
be issued or published
-
open, open up
become available
-
happen
chance to be or do something, without intention or causation
-
come, do, fare, get along, make out
proceed or get along
-
come up
be mentioned
-
a bad or difficult situation or state of affairs
-
types:
-
desperate straits, dire straits
a state of extreme distress
-
type of:
-
situation
a complex or critical or unusual difficulty
-
desperate straits, dire straits
-
a difficult juncture
Pronunciation
US
/pæs/
UK
/pɑs/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘pass'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Look up pass for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
