pass up

verb

passed up; passing up; passes up

transitive verb

: to let go by without accepting or taking advantage of

pass up a chance for promotion

also : decline, reject

Synonyms of pass up

• refuse
• reject
• decline
• turn down
• throw over

Examples of pass up in a Sentence

I must pass up the offer to be chairman of this event.

Recent Examples on the Web

These finds are too good to pass up and likely won’t last long. — Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2026

For some governors, the move may be too politically tempting to pass up. — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026

Snyder well understands the importance of passing up opportunities while trophy hunting. — Rich Larocco, Outdoor Life, 2 Nov. 2026

New Yorkers shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to address those failures. — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pass up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup