pass

noun

plural passes

1

: realization

brought his dream to pass

2

: the act or an instance of passing : passage

3

: a usually distressing or bad state of affairs

What has brought you to such a pass?

4

a

: a written permission to move about freely in a place or to leave or enter it

b

: a written leave of absence from a military post or station for a brief period

c

: a permit or ticket allowing free transportation or free admission

5

archaic : a thrust or lunge in fencing

6

a

: a transference of objects by sleight of hand or other deceptive means

b

: a moving of the hands over or along something

7

archaic : an ingenious sally (as of wit)

8

: the passing of an examination or course of study

also : the mark or certification of such passing

9

: a single complete mechanical operation

also : a single complete cycle of operations (as for processing, manufacturing, or printing)

10

a(1)

: a transfer of a ball or a puck from one player to another on the same team

(2)

: a ball or puck so transferred

b

: passing shot

11

: base on balls

12

a

: an instance of letting something (such as an offer or opportunity) go by without accepting or taking advantage of it

If something sounds too good to be true, take a pass [=turn down the offer].

—Eugenia Last

… recently took a pass on running for governor …

—Paul Kane

b

: an election not to bid, bet, or draw an additional card in a card game

13

: a throw of dice in the game of craps that wins the bet for the shooter compare crap entry 3 sense 2, missout

14

: a single passage or movement (as of an airplane) over a place or toward a target

15

a

: effort, try

b

: a sexually inviting gesture or approach

16

: pase

Synonyms of pass

• ticket
• check

Examples of pass in a Sentence

a pass to leave the military base for the weekend

a final pass at the assignment

eventually, all their career goals came to pass

Recent Examples on the Web

Both on the same team would force some difficult decisions for opposing offenses, especially with Turner, Byron Young and Braden Fiske rounding out the pass rush. —Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 9 June 2026

Gillespie had 37 tackles, 18 pass breakups and four interceptions as a junior. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026

An American bison with a nice pass downfield, although his teammates seemed more interested in the tailgate snacks. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 8 June 2026

The building was eerily quiet until Messi scored on a left-footed shot off a back-heel pass from Telasco Segovia to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute. —Miami Herald, 8 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pass

• backstage pass
• band-pass filter
• boarding pass
• bounce pass
• bus pass
• come to pass
• drop pass
• forward pass
• Hail Mary pass
• hall pass
• hard pass
• inbounds pass
• jump pass
• make a pass at
• outlet pass
• pass as
• pass away
• pass by
• pass degree
• pass-fail
• pass for
• pass into history
• pass into law
• pass into the hands of
• pass it on
• pass judgment on
• pass muster
• pass off
• pass on
• pass out
• pass over
• pass sentence
• pass (someone or something) off as
• pass someone's lips
• pass (something) down
• pass (something) in
• pass the buck
• pass the hat
• pass the time
• pass the time of day
• pass the torch (on)
• pass-through
• pass-through entity
• pass unnoticed
• pass up
• pass water
• play-action pass
• screen pass
• shovel pass
• spot pass
• Take a hard pass
• took a pass
• will pass

Rhymes for pass

• ass
• bass
• bras
• brass
• casse
• chasse
• class
• crass
• das
• dass
• frass
• gas

Kids Definition

pass

1 of 3 verb

ˈpas 

1

: move entry 1 sense 2, proceed

2

a

: to go away

the pain will soon pass

b

: die entry 1 sense 1

—often used with on

3

: to go by or beyond or move past

4

: to go or allow to go across, over, or through

let no one pass

5

: to change or transfer ownership or possession

recipes passed down through the family

6

: happen sense 2, occur

7

a

: to gain the approval of a legislative body

the bill passed both houses

b

: to approve officially

pass a new law

8

: to go or allow to go through an examination or course of study successfully

passed my French course

9

: to cause to be considered

passed for an expert

10

: to transfer or become transferred from one person to another

pass the butter

pass a football

11

: to decide not to bid, bet, or draw in a card game

12

: to cause or permit to elapse : spend

pass time

13

: to state judicially

pass sentence

passer noun

pass

2 of 3 noun

1

: passage sense 2a, way

2

: a gap in a mountain range

pass

3 of 3 noun

1

: the act or an instance of passing : passage

2

: accomplishment sense 1, realization

—used in the phrases come to pass and bring to pass

3

: situation sense 3, condition

have come to a strange pass

4

: a written permission to enter or leave or to move about freely

a soldier's three-day pass

5

: a moving of the hands over or along something

6

: a transfer of a ball or puck from one player to another

especially : forward pass

7

: base on balls

8

: an act of passing in a card game

9

: effort sense 2, try

make a pass at it

Medical Definition

pass

transitive verb

ˈpas 

: to emit or discharge from a bodily part and especially from the bowels : evacuate sense 2, void

Legal Definition

pass

intransitive verb

1

a

: to issue a decision, verdict, or opinion

the Supreme Court passed on a statute

b

: to be legally issued

judgment passed by default

2

: to go from the control, ownership, or possession of one person or group to that of another

title passes to the buyer

transitive verb

1

: to omit a regularly scheduled declaration and payment of (a dividend)

2

a

: to get the approval of

the bill passed the House

b

: to give approval or legal sanction to

the House passed the bill

3

: to transfer the right to or interest in

the sale passes the title to the goods

4

: to put in circulation

pass bad checks

compare utter

5

: to pronounce (as a sentence or judgment) judicially