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
-
Thus ensnared in a fiction of his making, the narrator takes his phone out and pretends to press Record.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026 -
Sporting a bright yellow raincoat and rainboots, Garcia pretends to be a journalist reporting on the storm in West Kendall as a palm tree leaf slaps her across the face.—
Xitlalic Montelongo,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ray tracing is a 3D rendering technology that simulates the behavior of light to produce realistic reflections and lighting effects.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Detachment 3 simulates a NASA emergency.—
Mark Strassmann,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Of course, that assumes there are any businesses left in California.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The older consensus assumes Washington would still try to stabilize the situation—escort shipping, surge regional forces, send warnings, hold back from hitting the mainland.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid Transplant Shock Transplanting a hydrangea at the wrong time of year stresses the plant and affects the next bloom.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In 2010, the Hamden mother was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that affects the lungs and lymph nodes.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 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 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
