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
Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The veteran has seen his role in the passing game dwindle significantly over his NFL career.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Following her passing, flags will be flown at half-mast for 30 days at government offices, state enterprises, and educational institutions, and government officials have been asked to wear mourning attire for a year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2025
Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The passing offense has gotten worse since Marchiol’s injury, and Wilkins was listed as questionable on the player availability report.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passing
Adjective
Love also joined Rodgers and Favre (twice) as the sole Green Bay quarterbacks with 350-plus passing yards, no interceptions and no sacks in a single game.
—Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The veteran has seen his role in the passing game dwindle significantly over his NFL career.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
Their defense broke down last Sunday against the Houston Texans and allowed 475 total yards of offense and 318 net passing yards in a 26-15 loss.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Following her passing, flags will be flown at half-mast for 30 days at government offices, state enterprises, and educational institutions, and government officials have been asked to wear mourning attire for a year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Inventiveness, cruelty, the playful distortion and extension of passing time had just gone too far.
—Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The passing offense has gotten worse since Marchiol’s injury, and Wilkins was listed as questionable on the player availability report.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passing
Adjective
-
Campaign ads, showing images of flash-mob robberies, promised voters that harsher penalties would put an end to basic items being locked away in display cases and funnel people repeatedly arrested for drug offenses in treatment.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
And many supermarkets offer bags of flash-frozen cranberries year-round.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Little Rock man who, police say, crashed while fleeing from an Arkansas State Police trooper last week now faces first-degree murder counts in the death of two teenage passengers, authorities said Wednesday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In short, at the heart within the kernel of concern for memory is a concern for death.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
And then, in the very last draft, my editor asked me to clarify for her how the science worked.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Krasinski also has the least interesting yet very successful Hollywood career imaginable, but that doesn’t mean he should be exiled or worse.—
Choire Sicha,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Rosensweig, a former top executive at Yahoo who joined Chegg as CEO in 2010, stepped down from the post in April 2024, handing the job to Schultz, who was operating chief at the time.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Jamaican vacation resorts stockpile supplies ahead of hurricane Jamaican vacation resorts are preparing for Hurricane Melissa by stock piling supplies and handing them out to hotel staff and guests.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Look for signs like the cat stopping purring, stiffening, thrashing their tail, or hissing.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Despite the logic gleaned from the accounting books arguing to the contrary, spending is showing no signs of stopping.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Maza, already a full Algeria international at 19, was scouted by several Premier League clubs before leaving second-tier Hertha Berlin.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
At the same time, leaving grass too long over the winter can shade the soil and weaken the grass.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Among them was an amicus curiae signed by 200 Members of Congress urging the court to uphold the findings of the lower courts—namely, that the president overstepped his executive authority in enacting the tariffs using IEEPA.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Some of the companies enacting job cuts are simply looking to rein in spending — including firms at the core of the AI boom.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gossip blogs on the Housewives have become an entire cottage industry, and that’s a far more likely explanation as to why this tends to keep happening.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
-
What happened to us at this company is happening at another company in another sector.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Passing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passing. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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