: the act of one that passes or causes to pass
especially
: death sense 1a
1
: going by or past
a passing pedestrian
2
: having a brief duration
a passing whim
3
obsolete
: surpassing
4
: superficial
a passing acquaintance
a passing resemblance
5
a
: of, relating to, or used in or for the act or process of passing
passing lanes
b
: given on satisfactory completion of an examination or course of study
a passing grade
: to a surpassing degree : exceedingly
passing strange
Examples of passing in a Sentence
Noun
After her husband's passing, she moved to a smaller house.
We all mourned his passing.
Adjective
Someone called out from a passing car.
She sells flowers to passing motorists.
Let's hope that these shoes are just a passing fad.
a passing phase in childhood
Adverb
a passing strange turn of events
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Similarly, the Colts organization paid tribute to Jones' legacy and impact on the organization in a post on social media in light of his passing.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
Phoenix emphasizes sharp passing and constant motion.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passing
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Noun
Aside from a few brief side conversations, there wasn’t much to say after surrendering a season-high 379 passing yards to Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Similarly, the Colts organization paid tribute to Jones' legacy and impact on the organization in a post on social media in light of his passing.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Wentz's stats are better than McCarthy's, as the veteran has thrown for 523 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions to McCarthy's 301 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
Phoenix emphasizes sharp passing and constant motion.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passing
Cite this Entry
“Passing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passing. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
passing
1 of 2 noun
pass·ing
ˈpas-iŋ 
1
: the act of one that passes or causes to pass
2
passing
2 of 2 adjective1
: going by or past
the passing crowd
2
: lasting only for a short time
3
: used for the act or process of passing
the passing lane
4
: given on satisfactory completion of an examination or course of study
a passing grade
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