as in refuses
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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Recent Examples of passes up
Tampa Bay passes up on a few top edge rushers here (Miami’s Akheem Mesidor and Auburn’s Keldric Faulk) because of the depth at the position and instead nabs McCoy before a few other corner-needy teams.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
And because Amazon never passes up an opportunity to throw a good sale, members just got extra lucky.
—Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
McVay passes up the field goal and Stanford throws incomplete again.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
And because Amazon never passes up an opportunity to throw a good sale, members just got extra lucky.
—Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
McVay passes up the field goal and Stanford throws incomplete again.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passes up
Verb
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In the nation’s fastest-gentrifying city, Black DC refuses quiet erasure.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
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The seat is open, but no election has been called, not because the people didn’t care, but because the governor refuses to act.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Apparently, if eBay’s board rejects the offer, Cohen is reportedly willing to take it directly to shareholders.—
Josh Brown and Sean Russo,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
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If the Supreme Court rejects the administration’s argument, Venezuelans, Haitians, and other TPS beneficiaries could use it to continue arguing for their protections in court.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The book club always politely declines, given its specific chemistry.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
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Interest rates don't tell the full story One supposed silver-lining in the economy of 2026 that consumers had been hopeful was still ahead is a lower-rate environment as inflation declines, but the war and the surge in oil prices has upended the policymaking assumptions of central banks.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Passes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passes%20up. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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