Collocations for "passing"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "passing" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
pass
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- pass [the test, an exam, the inspection, your driver's test]
- pass [a law, an amendment]
- pass the [salt, port, sherry, gravy]
- [could, would] you pass (me) the [salt]
- pass the ball (to)
- passed her on the [street, way home]
- pass a [truck, car, cyclist]
- pass the finish line
- pass a [cord, needle, rope] through a [ring, hole]
- passed [gas, a stool, a kidney stone]
- pass the time [waiting, watching, walking]
- passed on the [freeway, highway]
- passed through the [store, factory]
- the [river, lake, route] passes through the [city, state]
- pass by the [school, store]
- pass out [papers, exams, pamphlets]
- passed out from [the heat, exhaustion]
- pass along [the news, information]
- pass up the [chance, opportunity] (to)
- pass away from [cancer, natural causes]
- passed away on [Tuesday]
- has (sadly) passed on
- pass on [seconds, the offer]
- [must, have to] pass on it
- pass into a new [stage, era]
- (the) time passes [slowly, quickly]
- [weeks, three days] have passed (since)
- (feels that) life is passing her by
- UK: (does not) pass muster
- always passing the buck (to)
- it came to pass (that)
- [not a word, no food] has passed my lips
- passed himself off as [a tourist, an inspector]
- a [ski, bus, travel, press] pass
- a [three, five] -day pass (to)
- have [VIP, all-inclusive, backstage] passes
- have [VIP] passes for the [gig, concert, festival]
- [showed, flashed, presented] his pass (on entry)
- a pass to get into the [stadium, show, building]
- sport: a [forward, through, back, backward, infield, up field] pass
- sport: a [clever, good, bad, great, fantastic] pass
- [dig, build, tunnel, propose] a mountain pass
- you need [60 percent, 10 points] for a pass
- got a pass [on my test, in my degree]
- made a pass at the [waitress, teacher]
- made a pass at his [coworker, sister-in-law]
- the driver made a pass on the [curve, outside, inside, straight]
- make a first pass [at, on, through]
- the pass [rate, percentage, mark]
'passing' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
builder
- certain
- cloud
- compliment
- confident
- counterfeit
- crop
- diminish
- expectation
- fad
- favor
- hail
- happen
- high
- infatuation
- mention
- noteworthy
- oblivious
- occasion
- optimistic
- outstanding
- pass
- payoff
- present
- proud
- regret
- reward
- sadness
- shock
- slick
- topic
- treat
- upward
- void
- wane
- watch