hard pass
noun
: a firm refusal or rejection of something (such as an offer)
Then poor Gendry asks Arya to be his lady, but Arya gives him a hard pass.—
Rob Bricken
Rob Bricken… the residents of Gunbarrel speak with a unified and unwavering voice: "No thank you, Mr. Mayor! Hard pass."—R. M. O'Dea
R. M. O'DeaThat disclaimer was disregarded by some who found Turner's suggestion too extreme. A home run derby in a regular season game? Is this hockey and its penalty shootouts? Hard pass.—Jorge Castillo
Jorge CastilloTake a hard pass on the house cocktails, and stick with beer or wine. Or skip the booze altogether …—Greg Cox
Greg CoxExamples of hard pass in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rather than freeze the puck, Merzlikins fired a hard pass back at Werenski from close range, the puck kicking off the inside of Werenski’s left skate and skidding into the slot where the Leafs pounced.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Host Conan O'Brien wanted to give everyone a gummy, Disney said 'hard pass'
O'Brien gave everything to the Oscars.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
The East Room events, for instance, are typically open to all White House hard pass holders or the press at large, with the press office taking RSVPs for attendance.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025
During his first term, Trump’s White House sought to revoke the hard pass credentials of CNN’s chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard pass
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Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Host Conan O'Brien wanted to give everyone a gummy, Disney said 'hard pass'
O'Brien gave everything to the Oscars.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
The East Room events, for instance, are typically open to all White House hard pass holders or the press at large, with the press office taking RSVPs for attendance.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025
During his first term, Trump’s White House sought to revoke the hard pass credentials of CNN’s chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard pass
Cite this Entry
“Hard pass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20pass. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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