PASSING UP Synonyms: 87 Similar and Opposite Words

passing up

verb

present participle of pass up

as in refusing

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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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 up The Emmys’ producers passing up on even the slightest possibility of a Werner Herzog acceptance speech is sheer lunacy. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 20 June 2026 The Supreme Court is staying out of a case about whether the Catholic Church misled parishioners about the purpose of an annual collection, passing up a chance to probe the independence churches have from government interference. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 26 May 2026 Simpson was back in Los Angeles for the first time since April 24, the day after the seemingly Super Bowl-ready Rams surprised many by passing up the opportunity to select a receiver to choose an Alabama quarterback with only 15 starts. — Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026 But Belchetz, though imperfect, is a bit of a unicorn that teams will have a tough time passing up on in this range. — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 7 May 2026 Charles compared people passing up investing in Amazon to how many publishers turned down the now wildly popular Harry Potter books. — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 Meanwhile, Nazem Kadri is passing up shots and sometimes looks uncomfortable gripping his stick right now. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026 During the costly possession when the Rebels let the shot clock expire with 41 seconds left, Thienou surprised her coach by passing up a shot while the crowd was roaring and clearly distracting the visitors. — CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026 Redick pointed to Luka Doncic’s season-high 15 assists, which were lost in the noise of the Slovenian star passing up a potential game-winning 3-pointer. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for passing up

Verb

For the first time since at least 1974, new homes are selling for less than existing ones, and the culprit is a mix of builders getting generous and sellers refusing to budge.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Lestat uses his songs to analyze his past while refusing to deal with the ongoing reality of his mother’s emotional manipulation and physical abuse.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 July 2026

Definition of refusing

Verb

El-Sayed has built his campaign around bold policy proposals, rejecting corporate PAC money and casting himself as an alternative to the status quo of the Democratic Party.

— Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Kalshi lost an attempt to override New York’s state gambling laws yesterday, with a federal judge rejecting the prediction market operator’s request to prevent enforcement of the rules.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

There has been a lot of hand-wringing about the declining population of Los Angeles County, which lost 54,000 people from July 2024 to July 2025, the biggest numeric population drop in the nation during that period, by far.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
For years now, Olathe Schools has talked about its problem of declining enrollment.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026

Definition of declining

Verb

Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said the city has spent four years turning down redevelopment offers for Palmetto Research Park in an effort to hold the property for higher-wage employers.

— John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026
Value your time by turning down unpaid tasks.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026

Definition of turning down

Verb

Anthony had a cortisone shot last week and had begun throwing over the weekend.

— Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Next, a gentle tip-tap rippling through major East Coast cities, as the girls collectively add to cart whatever Holmes is toting or throwing over her shoulders.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2026

Definition of throwing over

Verb

An earlier decision from the court throwing out Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act came early enough that some red states were able to scramble and redraw congressional district lines to further favor Republicans.

— Tamara Keith, NPR, 1 July 2026
Greg Abel celebrates after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Iowa Cubs played the Buffalo Bisons on June 25, 2026.

— Alex Crippen, CNBC, 27 June 2026

Definition of throwing out

Browse Nearby Words

passings

passing up

pass (into)

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“Passing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passing%20up. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of passing up

verb

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