Passing meaning, definition, and synonyms

Passing has several meanings in English. It can describe something that lasts only a short time, something done quickly and not thoroughly, movement or success in a test, and, in some contexts, death or a sports play.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /ˈpæsɪŋ/

Easy pronunciation: PASS-ing (approximate spelling).

Stress: Stress the first syllable.

Adjective meaning lasting only a short time.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Passing Meaning

lasting only for a short time

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: lasting a very short time

Example: It was just a passing thought.

Synonyms for this meaning:

ephemeral — Works well for something brief or short-lived.
short-lived — A very natural substitute for something that does not last long.
transient — Common in formal writing for something temporary.
transitory — Fits the idea of something temporary and brief.
fugacious — A more formal, less common word with the same sense.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Passing

Meaning 2

done quickly and carelessly

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough

Example: She gave the report only a passing glance.

Synonyms for this meaning:

casual — Can work in some contexts, but can also mean relaxed or informal, so it is less precise.
cursory — A strong fit when something is done quickly and not in depth.
perfunctory — Works well for something done with little care or interest.
superficial — Can mean not deep or not thorough, though it may also suggest surface-level understanding.

Meaning 3

the act of moving through or changing from one state to another

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a bodily reaction of changing from one place or stage to another

Example: The passing of gas can be embarrassing in public.

Synonyms for this meaning:

passage — Related, but broader and not always a direct substitute.

Meaning 4

successfully meeting a standard or requirement

Part of speech: noun

Definition: success in satisfying a test or requirement

Example: Her passing of the exam secured her place in the program.

Synonyms for this meaning:

pass — A direct and common synonym in exam contexts.
qualifying — Works when the meaning is meeting a requirement, but it is more specific.

Meaning 5

overtaking another vehicle or object

Part of speech: noun

Definition: going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it

Example: Passing on the highway can be dangerous in bad weather.

Synonyms for this meaning:

overtaking — A direct synonym in driving and traffic contexts.

Meaning 6

using passes to move the ball forward

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: of advancing the ball by throwing it

Example: They have a strong passing game.

Synonyms for this meaning:

pass — Works in sports contexts, though it is broader than this specific adjective sense.

Meaning 7

very much; in an unusual or exceptional way

Part of speech: adverb

Definition: to an extraordinary degree

Example: She was a passing strange visitor to the town.

Synonyms for this meaning:

surpassingly — A direct match for this rare, literary sense.

Meaning 8

death, said in a softer or less direct way

Part of speech: noun

Definition: euphemistic expressions for death

Example: Many people attended the memorial after his passing.

Synonyms for this meaning:

departure — A common euphemism for death.
exit — Can be used euphemistically, but it is less natural than other options.
expiration — A formal euphemism for death.
going — Used in some euphemistic expressions, though less common on its own.
loss — Common in obituary and condolence language, though broader than death alone.
release — Can be euphemistic, especially in religious or poetic usage.

Meaning 9

the movement of one object past another

Part of speech: noun

Definition: the motion of one object relative to another

Example: The passings of stars can affect nearby comets.

Synonyms for this meaning:

passage — Related, but not always a perfect one-to-one substitute.

Meaning 10

a football play in which a player throws the ball to a teammate

Part of speech: noun

Definition: (American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

Example: The team called a passing play on third down.

Synonyms for this meaning:

pass — The standard term for this football action.
passing game — Used for a team’s strategy based on throwing the ball.
passing play — A direct term for a specific passing play.

Meaning 11

good enough to pass a test or inspection

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: allowing you to pass (e.g., an examination or inspection) satisfactorily

Example: He earned a passing grade in math.

Meaning 12

the ending or finishing of something

Part of speech: noun

Definition: the end of something

Example: The passing of winter always feels like a relief.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Passing Synonyms

Similar Meaning

ephemeral
short-lived
transient
transitory

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough

cursory
perfunctory
superficial

success in satisfying a test or requirement

pass
qualifying

going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it

overtaking

to an extraordinary degree

surpassingly

euphemistic expressions for death

departure
expiration
loss

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

pass
passing game
passing play

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Do not mix the 'brief' meaning of passing with the 'careless' meaning.
Do not treat passing grade as the same as passing in football.
In death-related uses, passing is a euphemism and does not mean 'going by' or 'moving past.'

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does passing mean in English?

Passing can mean brief or temporary, done quickly and not thoroughly, successful in a test, a movement past something, or a polite way to refer to death.

What are the best synonyms for passing?

For the main 'brief' meaning, good synonyms are short-lived, transient, transitory, and ephemeral. Other senses have different synonyms, such as cursory for the 'not thorough' meaning and pass for the exam meaning.

Is passing always an adjective?

No. Passing can be an adjective, noun, or adverb, depending on the meaning and sentence.

What does passing mean in 'passing grade'?

Here, passing means good enough to meet the requirement or score needed to pass.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.