as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
in public they pass for being a loving couple, but in reality they are only friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passes (for)
Verb
-
Christian pretends to fall so everyone looks at him, and then Devens stashes a fake idol wrapped in the real sheet from the BEBI.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026 -
On the right, Tucker Carlson has repeatedly asserted that Buttigieg only pretends to be gay, and is in fact a straight man faking homosexuality for political clout.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mitchell Arens’ cinematography simulates a fugue-like state that mirrors the vortex of grief that pervades through this heartrending film.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan University have designed a rotating benchtop device that simulates wireless charging in electric vehicles (EVs).—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That measurement also assumes the buyer has a 20% down payment, which in this case would be $80,060.—
Sarah Agostino,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2026
-
That assumes everything lines up next offseason.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Climate and environment California youths plead with an appeals court to hear how climate change affects their lives.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
That affects their ability to recruit and retain employees.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Passes (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passes%20%28for%29. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
