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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pass off
Winter can be hard, but the belief that everyone is sadder during the season may simply be folklore passed off as fact.
—
Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
In the video, Prince Louis, the youngest son of Prince William and Princess Kate, can be seen holding the toy, before passing off the beaver masquerading as Santa Claus to his father.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Dec. 2025
Perez said at a Sunday night press conference that authorities identified the man via a tip — which the police chief said was passed off to the FBI — but the evidence obtained was ultimately insufficient to keep him.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2025
One tactic smugglers use is passing off African greys as species that can still be legally exported, such as green and red-fronted parrots.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pass off
Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
In the video, Prince Louis, the youngest son of Prince William and Princess Kate, can be seen holding the toy, before passing off the beaver masquerading as Santa Claus to his father.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Dec. 2025
Perez said at a Sunday night press conference that authorities identified the man via a tip — which the police chief said was passed off to the FBI — but the evidence obtained was ultimately insufficient to keep him.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2025
One tactic smugglers use is passing off African greys as species that can still be legally exported, such as green and red-fronted parrots.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pass off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pass off
Verb
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The organization added that a true sign of atonement from Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, would be to refrain from antisemitism in the future, concluding their statement by wishing him well on his mental health journey.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Stacey also continues to advocate for diabetes visibility, and wishes to remind Kristy through this grapevine to re-up her generous annual contribution to support type 1 research.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These miserable tiny insects inflict a vicious bite for two or three weeks.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Jan. 2026
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After pulling back, Ukrainian units conduct a series of drone, mortar, and artillery strikes against their former position, inflicting heavy casualties on the Russian forces now occupying it.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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They’ll be protected from the pressure Denver’s All-Pro defensive lineman Zach Allen and sack leader Nik Bonitto, a Pro Bowler, can impose on their offensive line.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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Additional restrictions on who can get aboard a plane and inside a cockpit were imposed by the airlines and FAA after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 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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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
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While attempting to film his daughter's dance, Miguel Angel Michel, 66, couldn't control his feet and eventually fobbed off his phone altogether, earning 4.2 million views on TikTok.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Verb
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The school also posted a picture of the center, who reportedly has a 7-4 wingspan, palming two basketballs on the program’s website.—
Alex Valdes,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
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Major League Baseball wagged a finger with one hand and palmed gate receipts and a new TV deal in the other.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pass off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pass%20off. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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