pass off

as in to wish
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 pass off In the third period, Pettersson hit Boeser with a sweet east-west pass off the rush. Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025 The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on Truth Social. Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024 Right after a touchback, Will Howard dumped a pass off to TreVeyon Henderson, who got some blocks up front and scampered 75 yards to the house, giving the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead into the locker room. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025 But there’s a reason most defensemen don’t take the chance of sailing a backhand pass off the wall under duress. Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pass off 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pass off
Verb
  • State leaders react to the incident Following Hosemann’s collapse, state leaders, including Mississippi House Speaker Jason White, wished him a speedy recovery.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact the Suffolk Crime Stoppers via email or mobile app or by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The toll inflicted by this week's cuts stretches beyond probationary workers and fellows.
    Alexander Tin, CBS News, 15 Feb. 2025
  • There have been pure hammerings inflicted by a magisterial opponent, there have been vain attempts to keep the score down, there have been have-a-go failures and defensive mishaps.
    George Caulkin, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • As an example, federal law requires that employers make accommodations for employees and job applicants with disabilities, unless those accommodations would impose an undue hardship.
    Andrea Hsu, NPR, 9 Feb. 2025
  • With a steel roof and doors, and other body panels in aluminum, its aerodynamic design results in a low coefficient of drag with high downforce, while the absence of spoilers gives it a monolithic, sculptural shape that is imposing from every angle.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • And there’s an art to delegating, without seemingly palming off work to your team.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2023
  • Giannoli’s narrator lays out press performance in Balzacian details that sound absolutely contemporary: News, debate, and ideas had become goods to palm off on subscribers.
    Armond White, National Review, 10 June 2022
Verb
  • But despite previous transparency around the cost-cutting measures, employees inquiring about how the budget cuts have impacted their performance review will now be fobbed off.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2023
  • Most chose instead to fob off the hard decisions to central bankers.
    William Pesek, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2021
Verb
  • Wonder what palms Sam Altman greased for Trevor Noah to suggest AI can make a new Rihanna album happen.
    August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Pick something that looks tasty and slightly intimidating and clumsily palm some chopsticks.
    Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Sep. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near pass off

Cite this Entry

“Pass off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pass%20off. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

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