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 The economic costs were diffuse and passed off to future generations as additions to the national debt. Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2026 Su-hun passed off the manuscript of Min-hui’s late sister as his latest novel. Kayti Burt, Time, 26 June 2026 Sure enough, a member of the security team snagged the jersey, and it was passed off to a man who admired the jersey sitting in the ride behind Leo. CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026 The original movie was passed off as a documentary on death, but paired mostly staged violence with real footage taken at murder scenes and accident sites, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026 To diVittorio, the minimum lot sizes are too big — and therefore expensive; setbacks from streets are too broad, eating up buildable land; and sidewalk requirements are too costly, getting passed off to consumers. Mark Dee march 12, Idaho Statesman, 12 Mar. 2026 Earlier in the week, an Indian university was reportedly asked to leave the summit after a staff member passed off a robotic dog developed by Chinese company Unitree as one the university had developed. Jared Perlo, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026 And even Lachlan, who shares his father’s paleo-conservative worldview and was therefore granted control of Fox News, ultimately had to accept that much of the Murdoch empire had been sold out from under him when Rupert passed off 20th Century Fox to Disney for $71 billion in 2019. The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026 The tie ultimately passed off without much incident. Phil Hay, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passed off
Verb
  • While addiction spans every socioeconomic background, these advocates routinely turn a blind eye to the outsized destruction inflicted on vulnerable neighborhoods.
    Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In Iraq, the United States inflicted a dozen years of punishing sanctions, intermittent bombing, and failed regime change and counterproliferation efforts, followed by the disastrous 2003 invasion and occupation, all at tremendous human cost.
    MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Western nations have imposed economic and political sanctions in response to the military takeover and violent repression of opposition, which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and given rise to a civil war.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Powell’s record low comes as the seven states that share the Colorado River’s water wait to find out what cuts will be imposed.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Jaime Arias Galan, a technical assistant, also wished to explore a new opportunity overseas.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, said that his home surveillance cameras captured the group of at least four masked men trying to enter through the back of his home.
    Lauren Pozen, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
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
  • While other firms have trimmed entry-level hiring as AI takes over the admin tasks normally palmed off to younger workers, EY is actively investing in early-career talent.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
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 20 Aug. 2026.

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