pass away

verb

passed away; passing away; passes away

intransitive verb

1
: to go out of existence
2

Examples of pass away in a Sentence

the old woman passed away quietly
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
DePriest passed away on September 29 of natural causes at her home in Greenwich Village, her daughter Sara Kimbell confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025 Alek Giovanni Rivera, who passed away last November, entered Ann Storck’s residential intermediate care facility as a 10-year-old after his premature birth left him medically fragile. Mimi Whitefield, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025 Nearly half of the people who contracted Herpes B from the monkeys in laboratories passed away, while the other half suffered permanent neurological damage, University of Florida researchers have found. Saleen Martin, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025 After Nora and Agnes’ mother passes away, Gustav returns to Oslo (and the gorgeous family house that has played home to some of their biggest tragedies) and tries to reestablish himself in his family’s lives. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pass away

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pass away was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pass away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pass%20away. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

pass away

verb

More from Merriam-Webster on pass away

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!