as in flash
lasting only for a short time
his parents were willing to buy him a piano if he demonstrated that his interest in music was more than a passing fancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in death
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities
the precise moment of his passing was recorded by the machines at his bedside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in very
to a great degree
a passing strange turn of events
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in handing
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
could you please pass me the phone?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in stopping
to come to an end
eventually, the storm passed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in leaving
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
pass your forms to the department head once they're filled out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in enacting
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
Congress cannot pass any law restricting free speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in happening
to take place
and the destruction of the town came to pass, just as the seer had predicted
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in experiencing
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
7
as in uttering
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in refusing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in flying
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
the finished product isn't perfect, but it will pass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of passing
Zach Berman, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The Bolts' only major contributor to the passing game as a tight end last season was rookie Oronde Gadsden, the fifth-round pick who had 49 catches for 664 yards and three TDs.
—CBS News, 11 May 2026
Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 25 May 2026
His sister Meghan McCain wrote of his passing on Instagram, while including a photo of her brother standing beside the late senator.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 24 May 2026
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 28 May 2026
Western will host its passing tournament June 6.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for passing
Adjective
The difference is that a healthy Eagles offensive line propels the running game in this matchup, while the passing game takes time to find its rhythm.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The Bolts' only major contributor to the passing game as a tight end last season was rookie Oronde Gadsden, the fifth-round pick who had 49 catches for 664 yards and three TDs.
—CBS News, 11 May 2026
Noun
Public Information Officer Patty Pan confirmed to CBS News Atlanta that Chrisley was charged with DUI, attempting to elude, reckless driving, speeding and improper passing.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 25 May 2026
His sister Meghan McCain wrote of his passing on Instagram, while including a photo of her brother standing beside the late senator.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 24 May 2026
Verb
In retirement, Lemieux formed a friendship with McCarty, who learned of Lemieux’s passing from Draper.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 28 May 2026
Western will host its passing tournament June 6.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for passing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passing
Adjective
-
Don’t miss Alcopop’s Black Mango Watermelon, Seongju Chamoe and Watermelon Ice Pop; Matcha Latte, with flash-frozen local herbs and a hand-cut ice diamond; and Journey, a concoction that maps a tomato’s global odyssey.—
Melinda Sheckells,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
The heaviest rain has shifted eastward, with the island of Molokai under a flash-flood warning on Sunday.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Chapman’s cousin, Donte Harrison, confirmed the actor’s death on social media.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
-
When the squad reported back to Kirkby five days after his death, the training complex was a scene of utter devastation.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Adverb
-
To be sure, these were very different presidents.—
William Muck,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
And Martha Stewart is just like me, for real—the most inexpensive product in her skin care routine is a $10 Mario Badescu body lotion, and on the very polar opposite end, the most expensive is a $2,695 laser device.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead of handing teams raw indicators, AI can translate emerging threats into what matters for executives, analysts, IT or clinical operations.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
Global Constellation, which is a Vuelta company, is handing all international rights and co-representing North American rights with Gersh.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Most of the night went on without a hitch, with several show-stopping moments bringing the audience to their feet, but like every live event, there were a few flubs and a couple eyebrow-raising choices.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
26 May 2026
-
The four-time Grand Slam champion also recently wore a show-stopping outfit at the Met Gala in New York.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Two walks loaded the bases, and Jahmai Jones gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead with a single, leaving the bases still loaded with no one out.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
-
But they are not usually recalled—that is, brought home immediately and leaving the office vacant—at the beginning of a new president’s term, and Rubio’s move suggested that some sort of political vetting was being applied to career diplomats.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Brookline, a wealthy suburb of Boston, was the first, enacting its own version in 2021.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, San Diego for years was on the cutting edge of facilitating construction of accessory dwelling units or ADUs, enacting perhaps the most permissive rules in California.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Their efforts have resulted in access policy changes in some states, including Massachusetts and Washington, but elsewhere reforms are happening slowly or not at all.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 May 2026
-
At Workhuman Forum London, the renowned corporate psychologist and author Susan David told me that when there’s so much disruption happening internally in organizations, there’s one critical skill that both leaders and the professionals being laid off need to develop now.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Passing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passing. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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