1
as in handed
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
could you please pass me the phone?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in stopped
to come to an end
eventually, the storm passed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in left
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
pass your forms to the department head once they're filled out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in enacted
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
Congress cannot pass any law restricting free speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in happened
to take place
and the destruction of the town came to pass, just as the seer had predicted
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in experienced
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it
a presidential candidate who doesn't yet know how it feels to pass the scrutiny of the national press
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in uttered
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
he'll occasionally pass some insightful comment, but in general he doesn't have much to contribute
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in refused
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
we appreciate the invitation to the party, but we'll have to pass I'll pass on the coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in flew
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
the finished product isn't perfect, but it will pass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of passed
Studies show that when couples use no contraception, about 30 percent of fertilized eggs never implant, and another 30 percent implant briefly before being passed from the body usually without the woman ever knowing.
—
Mimi Zieman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Some state legislatures have passed grant programs meant to help schools foot the bill for those upgrades, including in Texas and Florida, where mass shootings at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas in 2018 and Robb Elementary School in 2022 rattled the country.
—Tonya Simpson, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2025
Congressional Republicans cited Pathways as a model for the federal Medicaid work requirement law passed in July that will take effect in 2027.
—Margaret Coker, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2025
The Legislature in 2018 passed a law directing AHCA to adopt licensure standards for organ-transplant programs that were separate from the certificate of need process, according to the petition filed this month by UF Health Shands and Jackson.
—Jim Saunders, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
In April, Idaho passed the Medical Freedom Act, which prohibits employers and schools from requiring many types of vaccination and other medical interventions.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
Hundreds of thousands of years passed before a tiny hydrogen atom could even hold itself together.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Sep. 2025
Six days had passed since the Watkins visit, and Estes had turned 18 over the weekend.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2025
That deal was struck in lieu of a retaliatory capital tax on foreign investors that was passed in the House version of the bill but was later removed by the Senate.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
Mimi Zieman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Some state legislatures have passed grant programs meant to help schools foot the bill for those upgrades, including in Texas and Florida, where mass shootings at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas in 2018 and Robb Elementary School in 2022 rattled the country.
—Tonya Simpson, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2025
Congressional Republicans cited Pathways as a model for the federal Medicaid work requirement law passed in July that will take effect in 2027.
—Margaret Coker, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2025
The Legislature in 2018 passed a law directing AHCA to adopt licensure standards for organ-transplant programs that were separate from the certificate of need process, according to the petition filed this month by UF Health Shands and Jackson.
—Jim Saunders, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
In April, Idaho passed the Medical Freedom Act, which prohibits employers and schools from requiring many types of vaccination and other medical interventions.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
Hundreds of thousands of years passed before a tiny hydrogen atom could even hold itself together.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Sep. 2025
Six days had passed since the Watkins visit, and Estes had turned 18 over the weekend.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2025
That deal was struck in lieu of a retaliatory capital tax on foreign investors that was passed in the House version of the bill but was later removed by the Senate.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passed
Verb
-
Airline staff detained and handed him over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who escorted him to Terminal 3 for questioning.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Yet the majority, stay order by stay order, has handed full control of all those agencies to the President.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Nexstar Media Group, one of the ABC affiliates which last week stopped airing Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Australia stopped stamping most passports in 2012 in favor of electronic immigration records, and New Zealand followed suit in 2016.—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Democratic proposal would extend enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, as well as reverse Medicaid cuts included in Republicans’ big tax break and spending cut bill enacted earlier this year.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Since 1987, the state has enacted housing preservation laws, with a notable expansion in 2017, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The suit alleged that Carr threatened Fitzwater to not say anything about what happened in the office to anyone.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Hall allegedly told officers what happened was an accident, but has not admitted to discharging a firearm, according to court documents.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After having already staved off throat cancer a decade prior, Dimon experienced an acute aortic dissection, or a tear in the inner layer of the body’s main artery, and had to rush to the hospital.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
-
In its preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed the airport had experienced over 15,000 near misses between October 2021 and December 2024 involving helicopters and commercial airplanes.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And with that, McAfee uttered the phrase that has rung hollow as the Hurricanes chase a national title that has eluded them since 2001 for the third time during the three-hour pregame show.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
21 Sep. 2025
-
Miran has already uttered the unthinkable about dollar dominance and done the unthinkable by serving as an executive branch loyalist on the Fed board.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The parties have been in a standoff for days as Democrats, namely in the Senate, have refused to offer the necessary votes to pass a funding measure that would keep the government open beyond Tuesday.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Even after numerous prompt adjustments and desperate rephrasings, that feeling of the previous weeks’ intimate interactions refused to return.—
Jon Michael Varese,
The Atlantic,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bryant ended his Cowboys career with the most receiving touchdowns for any receiver in team history (73).—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The Reds’ game ended while the Mets were playing in the sixth inning.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Passed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passed. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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