as in to wish
to offer (something fake, useless, or inferior) as genuine, useful, or valuable
the con man tried to pass off a piece of blue glass as a sapphire
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pass off
Ocean carriers are reacting in kind, passing off the war-risk premiums to their customers.
—
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 2 Mar. 2026
Earlier in the week, an Indian university was reportedly asked to leave the summit after a staff member passed off a robotic dog developed by Chinese company Unitree as one the university had developed.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Gimbel attributed the practice of AI washing to companies passing off diminished margins and revenue from a failure to effectively navigate cautious consumers and geopolitical tensions to AI.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
And even Lachlan, who shares his father’s paleo-conservative worldview and was therefore granted control of Fox News, ultimately had to accept that much of the Murdoch empire had been sold out from under him when Rupert passed off 20th Century Fox to Disney for $71 billion in 2019.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pass off
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 2 Mar. 2026
Earlier in the week, an Indian university was reportedly asked to leave the summit after a staff member passed off a robotic dog developed by Chinese company Unitree as one the university had developed.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Gimbel attributed the practice of AI washing to companies passing off diminished margins and revenue from a failure to effectively navigate cautious consumers and geopolitical tensions to AI.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
And even Lachlan, who shares his father’s paleo-conservative worldview and was therefore granted control of Fox News, ultimately had to accept that much of the Murdoch empire had been sold out from under him when Rupert passed off 20th Century Fox to Disney for $71 billion in 2019.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pass off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pass off
Verb
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For voters wishing to participate in the special election, the last day to register is Monday, April 20, 2026.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Daniel Radcliffe, the original Harry Potter in the movies, has given his blessing to the series and wished McLaughlin well in taking over the role.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Zehavi believes Iran and the IRGC look down on Hezbollah after its poor performance over the past few years, failing to inflict any significant damage against the IDF, failing to save the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and failing to prevent the damage inflicted against Iran during the 12 Day War.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
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For the country’s leadership, weakened militarily and more isolated than ever, inflicting economic suffering has become the most powerful weapon available.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hill noted that smaller businesses are acutely feeling the effects of tariffs imposed by the federal government on goods and products.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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For instance, disputes over the HOA’s authority to impose certain assessments can delay the resolution of financial issues, leaving homeowners uncertain about how to resolve their financial liabilities.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The unique shape helps keep your palm off the table while offering a spot for your thumb to rest.—
Brenda Stolyar,
Wired News,
9 May 2025
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And there’s an art to delegating, without seemingly palming off work to your team.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2023
Verb
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Whether out of pride, ideological zeal or an instinct to haggle for even the tiniest advantage, Iranian leaders will be tempted to stall — to drag out negotiations, fob off the U.S. with flashy promises and try to trip up their American counterparts in highly technical details.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
26 Feb. 2026
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Your potential clients are terrified of being sold the dream then fobbed off to a junior team member.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Of the billionaires who line up on the Messeplatz for the First Choice VIP opening at Art Basel, few would be out of place palming handshakes and quaffing Champagne at the Steigenberger Icon Grandhotel Belvédère.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
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Slicing this way makes the lemons easier to palm.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pass off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pass%20off. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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