passed off

past tense of pass off
as in inflicted
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 passed off Throughout the case, Carnival’ attorneys maintained the cruise line wasn’t at fault and passed off blame to Rondon. Vinod Sreeharsha september 22, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2025 Lots of men would have passed off that rod because the fish fought so hard. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025 Wilted lettuce doused in watery dressing passed off as salads. Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2025 Wilted lettuce doused in watery dressing passed off as salads. Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025 Wilted lettuce doused in watery dressing passed off as salads. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025 The film claims to be a comedy but does not even attempt to rise above judgmental statements passed off as jokes and slapstick comedy. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passed off
Verb
  • But the most important part of the story left unseen in the series is the gut-wrenching violence Gacy inflicted on his victims, both those who died and the few who survived.
    Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Portlanders understand the tragic reality that’s been inflicted on us, which is why resistance here often looks more like performance art than warfare.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Firstly, the scale and intensity of the sanctions imposed on it are unique.
    Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
  • But the Biden administration imposed rules in 2022 to restrict the export of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips to China, leading the company to design a processor that met the new limits.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • O'Connor wished Manganiello a happy birthday in December.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In the comment section, many people wished Mia a happy birthday.
    Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Passed off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passed%20off. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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