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Synonyms

pass for

Idioms  
  1. Be accepted as or believed to be, usually something that is not so. For example, Jean is 23 but could pass for a teenager, or They thought that copy would pass for an original. [Late 1500s]


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.

See Examples For:

I was raised near the shore of Chicago’s slice of Lake Michigan, a body of water wide and blue enough to pass for the sea.

From Salon Jul. 22, 2026

Another photo he posted on social media placed him in the car park of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow, with another showing his pass for a Russian embassy.

From BBC Jun. 15, 2026

Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who chairs the budget committee, said at a Jan. 27 meeting that the free pass for illegal cannabis businesses is a “loophole” that should be closed.

From Los Angeles Times May 1, 2026

You can also purchase a shuttle pass for $130.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 22, 2026

But it didn’t take long for the feeling to pass, for the worry to creep back in, for me to remember that I was the fifty-thousand-dollar kid and I didn’t belong.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

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