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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 The economic costs were diffuse and passed off to future generations as additions to the national debt. — Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2026 Carson had been off the air for about a year at the time, having passed off hosting the late-night program to Jay Leno upon his retirement. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 Elliot Anderson swept up the second ball in midfield and laid a pass off to Morgan Rogers. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 30 June 2026 Su-hun passed off the manuscript of Min-hui’s late sister as his latest novel. — Kayti Burt, Time, 26 June 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
  • Far-right Communications Minister Shomo Karhi recently said in a radio interview that Israelis abroad who wish to influence the country’s future should immigrate.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Inter ended its statement by describing how Mazzola wished to be remembered.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of wish
Verb
  • Hicks, 37, was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felony assault by strangulation and misdemeanor simple assault, officials said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Within its first 10 minutes, hitmen conduct a massacre at a nine-year-old’s birthday party, which Snyder, who acts as his own cinematographer, depicts as a series of carbon-copy graphic headshots, largely inflicted against small children.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of inflict
Verb
  • Russia is believed to be using a fleet of hundreds of ships to evade international sanctions imposed after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The legislation allows for the president to impose tariffs, but limits the scope of those tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas and the top five countries that aid Russia's energy sanctions evasion.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 19 Sep. 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
  • For the final punchline, Bounou shuffled right, stood upright, and palmed away Crysencio Summerville’s effort.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 7 July 2026
  • Al-Amri, who had a shot denied by Uruguay's Fernando Muslera earlier in the first half, put his squad ahead with a quick tap-in after Muslera palmed away a header.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 15 June 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 20 Sep. 2026.

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