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
… the residents of Gunbarrel speak with a unified and unwavering voice: "No thank you, Mr. Mayor! Hard pass."R. M. O'Dea
That 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
Take a hard pass on the house cocktails, and stick with beer or wine. Or skip the booze altogether …Greg Cox

Examples of hard pass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The time commitment, the awkward small talk during exercises…a hard pass, and last resort, just like surgery. Kelli Acciardo, Allure, 20 Sep. 2024 So, leaving my children in the kids’ club with strangers was initially a hard pass for me. Essence, 29 July 2024 Of course, most makeup products are subjective, and one person’s hard pass could be another’s treasure. Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 15 Jan. 2024 The Hard Pass: A hard pass redirects a suitor’s love and turns it into hate. Evan Waite, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024 As for the parties that don’t have adequate seating or ideal circumstances, food stations should be a hard pass. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 However, having his music on in the bedroom is a hard pass for Ginuwine. Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2024 For every baked feta pasta (swoon) there are three pasta chips (hard pass). Emily Heil, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 Some claim that the treatment eases inflammation, but If that’s a hard pass, doctor approved cosmetic procedures will be offered here too, as of next year. Carole Sovocool, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hard pass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

2014, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard pass was in 2014

Dictionary Entries Near hard pass

Cite this Entry

“Hard pass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20pass. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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