as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
I must pass up the offer to be chairman of this event
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pass up
They were blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday before losing by one at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday when Luka Doncic passed up a three and threw the ball to LeBron James, who missed a hurried, last-second three.
—
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Redick pointed to Luka Doncic’s season-high 15 assists, which were lost in the noise of the Slovenian star passing up a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
Labor union support Supporters of the project, though, say that the money the data center would bring into Independence — mostly in the form of annual PILOT fees and construction jobs — would be too impactful to pass up.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
The freshman made a steal in the backcourt at the other end and passed up for a two-handed slam in transition from Ross.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pass up
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Redick pointed to Luka Doncic’s season-high 15 assists, which were lost in the noise of the Slovenian star passing up a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
Labor union support Supporters of the project, though, say that the money the data center would bring into Independence — mostly in the form of annual PILOT fees and construction jobs — would be too impactful to pass up.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
The freshman made a steal in the backcourt at the other end and passed up for a two-handed slam in transition from Ross.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pass up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pass up
Verb
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More than a year later, with much of the Palisades still in ruins, LAFD leaders have refused to explain how or why the breakdowns occurred.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Tommy Thompson, a research scientist who was imprisoned for a decade after refusing to disclose where an 1800s shipwreck's gold coins were being stored, was released, according to federal Bureau of Prisons records.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a further escalation of tensions with Kyiv, Hungary's parliament on Tuesday passed a resolution giving the government the green light to oppose Ukraine's path to joining the European Union and reject any initiatives to supply Ukraine with weapons or funding.—
JUSTIN SPIKE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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On Tuesday, officials representing Seligman urged the council to reject the compensation agreements and instead sell the property to Seligman.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Iranian retaliatory attacks appear to be declining — ballistic missile strikes have fallen by 90% and drone attacks by 83%, according to US Central Command — potentially easing pressure on Gulf states that have faced Iranian strikes in recent days.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Bonta’s office declined to comment.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Despite the Kennedy family's reputation as unofficial American royalty, John and Carolyn famously turned down the opportunity to have a blockbuster celebrity wedding.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
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No one is turning down the heat.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This one is thin enough to tuck into a carry-on but substantial enough to throw over a tank or tee once the cabin gets chilly.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Mar. 2026
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Brewers left fielder Eddys Leonard reached base to start the second inning on a groundball when third baseman Ezequiel Duran airmailed a throw over first baseman Jake Burger’s head.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pass up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pass%20up. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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