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pass-fail

American  
[pas-feyl, pahs-] / ˈpæsˈfeɪl, ˈpɑs- /

noun

Education.
  1. a system of grading in some educational institutions in which a student simply passes or fails instead of receiving a letter or numerical grade.


Etymology

Origin of pass-fail

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Our professors use a modified pass-fail system: Approximately 70% of students in each class receive a “pass,” roughly 30% receive a “high pass,” and a handful at either end of the distribution receive a “low pass” or “dean’s scholar prize.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“Your experience is timed but not in a pass-fail sense,” Nelson says.

From Los Angeles Times

When you do, you might be given the option of taking a pass-fail online knowledge test, or to instead use the DMV’s eLearning program, which is what Group did.

From Los Angeles Times

The stress test was not a pass-fail exercise for banks in the 20 countries that use the euro currency.

From Seattle Times

It’s a pass-fail test, and it doesn’t impact the vehicle’s safety rating.

From Slate