as in refused
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of passed up
The first time Helena Morrissey had a child, she was passed up for a promotion.
—
Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
McAtamney’s lack of field goal range also played a part in this game because the Giants passed up attempts.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
The Oilers passed up countless quality chances at five-on-five and were seldom around the blue paint against the Devils.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
The year before, she had been passed up for the lead role in the movie adaptation of My Fair Lady, which went to Audrey Hepburn, pictured.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
On both plays, Maye passed up safer choices — taking a sack and a checkdown — to scramble; chasing the type of extended play that had just rewarded him, but ultimately burned his team.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Over one in ten report being passed up for a promotion or chance to get ahead because of their age.
—Helen Dennis, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
Silksong just passed up yesterday’s 562,000 concurrent Steam playercount record, a stunning number for a $20 indie game, though obviously boosted by its mythological status after seven years of waiting from fans.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
He was passed up by most every FBS program coming out of Greenville High in Texas.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
McAtamney’s lack of field goal range also played a part in this game because the Giants passed up attempts.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
The Oilers passed up countless quality chances at five-on-five and were seldom around the blue paint against the Devils.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
The year before, she had been passed up for the lead role in the movie adaptation of My Fair Lady, which went to Audrey Hepburn, pictured.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
On both plays, Maye passed up safer choices — taking a sack and a checkdown — to scramble; chasing the type of extended play that had just rewarded him, but ultimately burned his team.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Over one in ten report being passed up for a promotion or chance to get ahead because of their age.
—Helen Dennis, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
Silksong just passed up yesterday’s 562,000 concurrent Steam playercount record, a stunning number for a $20 indie game, though obviously boosted by its mythological status after seven years of waiting from fans.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
He was passed up by most every FBS program coming out of Greenville High in Texas.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passed up
Verb
-
There were the elections in 2024 that the opposition won, but Maduro refused to accept the result.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
During our first visit, Maryam, embarrassed by her English, refused to ask the salesperson a question.—
Jennifer Obel,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
During the strike in October, Kaiser rejected workers’ claims about understaffing, insisting that wages are the main reason why workers walked picket lines.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
-
And having sensitivity and being an actor, where you’re rejected more often than not is challenging.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Since the mandate, neural tube defects have dramatically declined in almost every single ethnic population except for Latinos, according to Jaffery.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
January 12,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Wiener declined to answer the question in either direction.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Disney executives turned down Imagineering proposals to refurbish Disneyland’s aging Tomorrowland, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Blockbuster turned down the opportunity to buy Netflix in 2000.—
Natalie Jarvey,
Fortune,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On third-and-7, Fields threw over the middle to receiver Josh Reynolds for 6 yards, short of the first-down marker.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Though Brock Purdy threw over 300 yards in his return from injury, the Jaguars' defense caused five turnovers, including a strip sack that sealed the game in the fourth quarter.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The bill passed the Assembly and is currently in the Senate.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Illinois passed a first-in-the-nation law addressing this issue in 2024, and both red and blue states are exploring similar solutions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ramírez, who was supposed to be studying chemistry and physics, ignored such strictures.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The supermassive black hole’s forces are unfathomably strong, but the influences of the giant galaxy cluster around it can’t be ignored either.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Passed up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passed%20up. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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