passing

C1 Topic:Communication

US /ˈpæsɪŋ/ UK /ˈpɑːsɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #2227

Meanings

1

noun
A polite word for someone's death.

The whole village mourned the old man's passing.
2

noun
The act of succeeding in a test or exam.

Passing the bar exam was a huge relief.
3

noun
The act of moving past something, especially overtaking a vehicle.

His reckless passing of every car frightened the passengers.
4

adj
Lasting only a short time; brief.

She gave the painting only a passing glance.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a polite word for someone's... exit

2 noun · the act of succeeding in a... pass

3 noun · the act of moving past... overtaking

4 adj · lasting only a short time;... brief fleeting momentary ephemeral

Word family

Derived forms non-passingpassinglypassingness

Related forms buck-passingpassing-bell

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

passing mention
a casual, non-detailed reference made in passing

Adjective + noun
passing thought
a brief, fleeting idea that does not linger in the mind

Adjective + noun
passing comment
a brief incidental remark made without sustained discussion

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From pass + -ing.

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

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