pass off

verb

passed off; passing off; passes off

transitive verb

1

: to make public or offer for sale with intent to deceive

2

: to give a false identity or character to

Synonyms of pass off

• wish
• inflict
• impose
• palm off
• fob off
• palm

Examples of pass off in a Sentence

the con man tried to pass off a piece of blue glass as a sapphire

Recent Examples on the Web

Coolly, Violet responds that to avoid alarming the public, a few agitators have beenneutralized—now there’s a sticky euphemism—and their deaths passed off as revenge killings among drug traffickers. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

Small Reebok vector logos are found stamped on the tongue and heel and the emblem is also seen on the outsole but from a glance, the look could easily be passed off as an even pricier designer sneaker. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026

Chiles hit Honig with a 8-yard TD pass off the next snap to up it to 21-3. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Union members and their supporters were dressed colorfully, clad in red or green, and their march through the Brussels city center passed off peacefully. — Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pass off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

pass off

verb

: to give a false identity to : describe untruthfully

Legal Definition

pass off

transitive verb

1

: to make public or offer for sale (goods or services) with intent to deceive : palm off

passing his product off as that of the plaintiff's

—W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton

see also unfair competition

2

: to give a false identity or character to

they created the documents on the day of the trial and passed them off as being made earlier