: being a system of grading whereby the grades "pass" and "fail" replace the traditional letter grades
pass-fail
noun
Examples of pass-fail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The test is scored on a pass-fail basis.
—
Luis Martinez, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
Review status and pass-fail decisions are typically visible on developer accounts.
—James Peckham, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Might Poles become the next Halas Hall leader to be called to the front of the room for a pass-fail performance review?
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 9 Dec. 2024
On Sunday, undergraduate college officials announced students can avoid letter grades on their transcript and select a pass-fail option for up to two classes this semester.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 6 May 2024
Goldhaber suggests that rather than a pass-fail approach, teacher candidates should be able to submit their scores as an additional piece of information for programs to consider — similar to how ACT and SAT scores are used by college admissions officers.
—Emily Tate Sullivan, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024
Environmental Science This class is famously easy, as it’s graded pass-fail and the only requirement for passing is agreeing that everything is totally fine with the environment and asserting that anyone who believes differently is being paid by the deep state.
—Skyler Higley, The New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2023
Note these standards can be iterative and supportive of innovation, rather than the approval process used for drugs which is more of a pass-fail process.
—Thomas R. Insel, STAT, 12 Apr. 2023
We are no longer constrained by gender, perfection, and homogeny: beauty is not a box to be checked, a pass-fail test based on antiquated norms.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2023
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Luis Martinez, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
Review status and pass-fail decisions are typically visible on developer accounts.
—James Peckham, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Might Poles become the next Halas Hall leader to be called to the front of the room for a pass-fail performance review?
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 9 Dec. 2024
On Sunday, undergraduate college officials announced students can avoid letter grades on their transcript and select a pass-fail option for up to two classes this semester.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 6 May 2024
Goldhaber suggests that rather than a pass-fail approach, teacher candidates should be able to submit their scores as an additional piece of information for programs to consider — similar to how ACT and SAT scores are used by college admissions officers.
—Emily Tate Sullivan, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024
Environmental Science This class is famously easy, as it’s graded pass-fail and the only requirement for passing is agreeing that everything is totally fine with the environment and asserting that anyone who believes differently is being paid by the deep state.
—Skyler Higley, The New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2023
Note these standards can be iterative and supportive of innovation, rather than the approval process used for drugs which is more of a pass-fail process.
—Thomas R. Insel, STAT, 12 Apr. 2023
We are no longer constrained by gender, perfection, and homogeny: beauty is not a box to be checked, a pass-fail test based on antiquated norms.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pass-fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pass-fail. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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