pass off

verb

Definition of pass offnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pass off 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 Both parents died before Mears was three, and he was passed off among relatives who didn’t want to care for him. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 To succeed in the real estate business of the future, Thayer said agents should pass off the grunt work to AI and allow their humanity to shine with advice and advocacy that a computer program can’t replicate. — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2026 The Trojans ran the ball from shotgun with a tight end (or two) assisting while completing passes off play-action — with RPOs and quick passes to negate Mizzou’s rush. — Pj Green september 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pass off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pass off
  1. wish
  2. inflict
  3. impose
  4. palm off
  5. fob off
  6. palm
Verb
  • Anyone with information or who wishes to report an incident involving Thornsberry is asked to call the sheriff's office at 248-537-3530.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Now, with America having vociferously rejected Musk’s vision of governance, those wishing to drive something that reminds everyone around them of that vision will only have a few months more to purchase one.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of wish
Verb
  • What readers are saying The comments express outrage and sadness over the cruelty inflicted on kittens, with many calling for harsher penalties for animal abuse.
    — Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The crew threw live birds at her, inflicting real injuries and once coming dangerously close to hurting her eye.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflict
Verb
  • Researchers should not lose their next opportunity because of interruptions imposed on them.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The ballot measure, which would impose a one-time 5% tax on California billionaires to help fund healthcare, is failing by more than 8 percentage points.
    — Vanessa Martínez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of impose
Verb
  • France took the lead with a solo try from Ntamack, who ran down the short side from about 22-meters out, dummied, palmed off a defender and crashed over in a tackle in the 52nd, and conversion from skipper Maxime Lucu.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • Lift your right palm off the ground and cross your torso to tap your left shoulder, then return your right hand to the ground.
    — Jenessa Connor, Health, 28 May 2026
Definition of palm off
Verb
  • 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
  • Not only does Israel not have spare luxury jets lying around to fob off on the American president, but the country took nine years to retrofit and launch its own version of Air Force One, and the process was a national fiasco.
    — Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
Definition of fob off
Verb
  • Karl-Anthony Towns has been palming the ball since high school.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For the final punchline, Bounou shuffled right, stood upright, and palmed away Crysencio Summerville’s effort.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of palm

Browse Nearby Words

pass muster
pass off
pass (on)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pass off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pass%20off. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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