passes off

Definition of passes offnext
present tense third-person singular of pass off
as in wishes
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 passes off If Clark does manage to get passes off, USC’s lockdown secondary has the chance to live up to the hype. Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passes off
Verb
  • Her donor, John, wishes to remain anonymous to the public so asked that his last name not be used, but has become like family to her.
    Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
  • According to inside sources, Prince William wishes to establish a meaningful relationship with Mullally, knowing that the Archbishop will also preside over his future coronation and will, in fact, be his superior in the Church.
    Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • However, this method imposes strict physical limits on size and power consumption, making further miniaturisation difficult.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
  • That increases costs and imposes time delays for mine developers – and means consumers will have to wait longer, and pay more, for copper-intensive products and services.
    Adam Charles Simon, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The focus here is squarely on her mother, another survivor who inflicts her own share of damage along the way.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Passes off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passes%20off. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

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