passes 1 of 3

present tense third-person singular of pass
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as in undergoes
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

passes

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of pass

passes

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of pass
1
as in tickets
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 passes
Verb
But Democrats want a deal now, and Republicans say nothing can happen until their bill passes. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025 As Imelda passes near Bermuda, 2 to 4 inches — 50 to 100 mm — of rainfall is expected from Wednesday into Thursday. Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025 Temperatures will warm until the cold front passes and temperatures become more seasonal. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 Fifty passes with your goalkeepers and centre-backs? Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025 Uber is also making both these passes available for its teen accounts. PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025 The touchdown pass was the 509th of his storied career, moving into fourth place on the all-time career touchdown passes list and breaking a tie with his former Packers teammate Brett Favre. Ben Morse, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025 With a very viable out in his contract looming this offseason, the writing is getting more etched on the wall with each week that passes. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025 In a post on socials, organizers for the festival revealed that Coachella passes were snatched up after announcing the slate of performers last Monday night. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
After 10 games in all competitions, Mikel Arteta’s team are starting to show a point of difference — mainly thanks to their ‘bounce’ passes. Art De Roché, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 Davis struggled against the run and allowed both passes thrown in his coverage area to be caught for 53 yards. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025 What to Expect Early to mid-October is the peak season for fall colors along the Enchanted Circle, where Wheeler Peak and nearby mountain passes offer expansive views of golden aspens, auburn pines, and evergreens. Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025 Some answers were offered at the SDSU practice field during Saturday evening’s scrimmage, which was highlighted by 60- and 70-yard passes from junior transfer quarterback Jayden Denegal to senior transfer wide receiver Myles Kitt-Denton. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025 According to the same source, Locatelli also completed a game-high 127 passes and created two clear scoring opportunities for his team-mates before using a post-match interview to credit the impact Tudor’s arrival has had. Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025 The 29-year-old quarterback has yet to throw for more than 1,200 yards or touchdown passes. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025 Metra weekend passes are $10; three kids 11 and under ride free with each adult. Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025 The passes are connected to only the founding owner of the property, meaning successive owners will not be offered this benefit. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passes
Verb
  • Satya Nadella hands him marketing, operations, and the title of CEO of Microsoft's commercial business.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Strong secondary Single-digit jersey numbers are so coveted that Lewis hands them out personally rather than leaving it to SDSU’s equipment manager.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The breakthrough centers on a one-atom-thick filter that stops sulfur chains from clogging up the battery.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
  • My colleague Hannah Pinski hit the road late last week for a couple campaign stops for Massie alongside Paul, his ally in the Senate.
    Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The funding pause leaves many new homeowners in high-flood risk areas scrambling for protection and could halt the processing of current damage claims.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • That leaves Wednesday’s release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting as the main economic report to watch in the coming week as the central bank is self-funded and unaffected by the shutdown.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • However, the laws can’t go into effect until the federal government enacts similar legislation, and both the 2025 versions of the bill fizzled out in a congressional committee.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Commissioners’ closest vote involved the portion of the budget legislation that enacts a less than 1% increase in household trash fees.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But let’s see what happens when Mississippi State takes its show on the road in a game of significance (sorry, Southern Miss).
    Matt Hayes, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Each case undergoes thorough discovery and courtroom preparation.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Compared to green tea, white tea undergoes minimal processing, so higher levels of catechins and polyphenols are preserved.
    Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The first words Mariah Carey utters on her 16th studio album are quintessential diva.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The season 2 finale centered around a tornado destroying the store, when Brett utters his only line of dialogue in the series as the storm approaches.
    Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Advertisement Mun-ju refuses to leave him.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Or, maybe someone who currently lives with you refuses to take ownership of perpetuating the mess downstairs.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Passes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passes. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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