passing

1 of 3

noun

pass·​ing ˈpa-siŋ How to pronounce passing (audio)
: the act of one that passes or causes to pass
especially : death sense 1a

passing

2 of 3

adjective

1
: going by or past
a passing pedestrian
2
: having a brief duration
a passing whim
3
obsolete : surpassing
4
: superficial
a passing acquaintance
a passing resemblance
5
a
: of, relating to, or used in or for the act or process of passing
passing lanes
b
: given on satisfactory completion of an examination or course of study
a passing grade

passing

3 of 3

adverb

: to a surpassing degree : exceedingly
passing strange
Phrases
in passing
: by the way : incidentally

Examples of passing in a Sentence

Noun After her husband's passing, she moved to a smaller house. We all mourned his passing. Adjective Someone called out from a passing car. She sells flowers to passing motorists. Let's hope that these shoes are just a passing fad. a passing phase in childhood Adverb a passing strange turn of events
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Some states also require the passing of an ethics exam. Experience: Most states require candidates to complete a specific amount of work experience under the supervision of a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Days after his passing, the cause of death for comedian Richard Lewis was officially confirmed. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 4 Mar. 2024 To some observers, the Guy/Ingram tour pairing represented a symbolic and literal passing of the torch: a veteran blues master handing the baton to a budding young blues master following closely in his footsteps. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 The news of Janice’s passing was shared by her brother on social media. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The news of Dipper’s passing was previously announced in the Daily Show Dogs Instagram account. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2024 The passing of the storm Friday/Saturday will usher in our first true arctic blast of the season. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Munger’s passing has brought up the question of succession at Berkshire. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 The entire Department of Defense honors these brave Marines' service and grieves their passing. Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024
Adjective
His 1998 and 1997 seasons are first and second place, respectively, for most passing yards by a Kentucky player in a season. The Courier-Journal, 8 Jan. 2024 The full-court press that usually fuels the Buckeyes didn't give the Gophers much trouble, but those quick hands in the passing and dribbling lanes sure did. Dave Campbell, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2024 Both teams bring high-powered passing games, but San Francisco, led by All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, was tied for first in rushing touchdowns (27) in the league. Kurt Snibbe, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2024 In Arizona's win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, Fifita passed for 354 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, the second-most passing yards in a bowl game in program history. Matthew Self, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2024 And with every passing year—with wildfires, superstorms, tornadoes and demand from the Global South in international frameworks and institutions to be treated as a partner on par with the Global North—companies must look to authentic environmental and social business models. Wayne Elsey, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 With each passing year, more young women discover the film and dress up as Jennifer Check for Halloween. Keaton Bell, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2024 During the passing period, Mark never hesitates to greet our students with development disabilities with a hello or a handshake. Shari Rudavsky, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Jan. 2024 The Lions allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game in the regular season and just let Baker Mayfield throw for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of passing was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near passing

Cite this Entry

“Passing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passing. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

passing

1 of 2 noun
pass·​ing ˈpas-iŋ How to pronounce passing (audio)
1
: the act of one that passes or causes to pass
2

passing

2 of 2 adjective
1
: going by or past
the passing crowd
2
: lasting only for a short time
especially : showing haste or lack of attention : hasty, superficial
a passing glance
3
: used for the act or process of passing
the passing lane
4
: given on satisfactory completion of an examination or course of study
a passing grade

More from Merriam-Webster on passing

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