passing 1 of 4

adjective

Definition of passingnext
as in flash
lasting only for a short time his parents were willing to buy him a piano if he demonstrated that his interest in music was more than a passing fancy

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passing

2 of 4

noun

ˈpa-siŋ How to pronounce passing (audio)
as in death
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities the precise moment of his passing was recorded by the machines at his bedside

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passing

3 of 4

adverb

as in very
to a great degree a passing strange turn of events

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passing

4 of 4

verb

present participle of pass
1
as in handing
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another could you please pass me the phone?

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2
as in stopping
to come to an end eventually, the storm passed

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3
as in leaving
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another pass your forms to the department head once they're filled out

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4
as in enacting
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action Congress cannot pass any law restricting free speech

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5
as in happening
to take place and the destruction of the town came to pass, just as the seer had predicted

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6
as in experiencing
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it a presidential candidate who doesn't yet know how it feels to pass the scrutiny of the national press

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7
as in uttering
to express (a thought or emotion) in words he'll occasionally pass some insightful comment, but in general he doesn't have much to contribute

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in refusing
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to we appreciate the invitation to the party, but we'll have to pass I'll pass on the coffee

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9
as in flying
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval the finished product isn't perfect, but it will pass

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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 passing
Adjective
The Hurricanes want as many players involved in the passing game as possible. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 But even the passing game that has typically been one of the league’s most productive has generated just 29 total points over its last two games. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
Hayes had 198 yards on 17-for-33 passing but threw two interceptions. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Mensah, meanwhile, eclipsed 300 passing yards and three touchdowns for the fourth time in seven games with Miami. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
The passing defense hasn’t been elite this season, but the rushing defense has been very good. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 Mejia could probably close his eyes and know exactly where Smith would be passing the ball. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for passing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passing
  1. flash
  2. death
  3. very
  4. handing
  5. stopping
  6. leaving
  7. enacting
  8. happening
Adjective
  • San Antonio, Texas, was under a flash-flood warning through Thursday evening, and the city urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
    — Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, the flash-flood threat is lower, but locally heavy downpours are possible for parts of the Mid-Atlantic later in the day.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of flash
Noun
  • The majority of The Same Place was recorded between 2010 and 2012, predating Doss’ passing; finishing touches were added by other OTC members and collaborators in the wake of Hart’s death.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Her daughter, Jane Harnick, told the New York Times that her mother’s death followed a terminal cancer diagnosis.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of death
Adverb
  • For example, because of their own home-buying timeline, a seller may need to close very quickly or may need more time than usual.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • These songs are very evidently arranged, with ticklish, left-field grooves and tight pockets—never too tight for the persistent, puckish charm, the elbow-nudging glee.
    — Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of very
Verb
  • Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined for five strikeouts in three scoreless innings of relief before handing the ball to Megill.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Milwaukee’s hottest hitter William Contreras led off the inning with his second hit of the game - a single into left field - which led Tampa Bay to make another pitching change, this time handing the ball to Garrett Cleavinger.
    — Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of handing
Verb
  • But Pollard was ruled down just outside the end zone in the second quarter, and Cleveland turned the Titans over on downs with Maliek Collins stopping Pollard on fourth-and-goal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But there's nothing stopping users from posting images or videos made with third party filters to the platform — or onto TikTok and Instagram, for that matter.
    — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of stopping
Verb
  • Despite a strong growth forecast for the region, unemployment among the fast-growing youth population remains stubbornly high, leading to political instability and leaving the authorities looking for ways to create more jobs.
    — Martin K.N Siele, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Literally days before leaving office, the former Biden Under Secretary used the stroke of a (digital) pen to inappropriately expand the closed-school discharge period for certain institutions targeted by the previous Administration.
    — Cory Turner, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of leaving
Verb
  • In our moment of reckoning, most of the current momentum is going toward enacting social media bans for kids younger than 16.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Let them — especially the new governor, presumably Xavier Becerra — consider enacting new CEQA reforms, holding months of public hearings and ultimately compromising on a deal.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of enacting
Verb
  • The odds of a mistaken dress swap happening during the preservation process are rare, especially today with tracking technology available throughout the cleaning process, according to Schapiro.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • There’s a tremendous amount happening in J-beauty, C-beauty, and now India too.
    — Kapila Ireland, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of happening

Phrases Containing passing

Browse Nearby Words

passim
passing
passing away
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Cite this Entry

“Passing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passing. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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