pass off
verb
passed off; passing off; passes off
1
: to make public or offer for sale with intent to deceive
2
: to give a false identity or character to
Examples of pass off in a Sentence
the con man tried to pass off a piece of blue glass as a sapphire
Recent Examples on the Web
Portland couldn’t figure out how to pass off help assignments to deal with the downhill speed of San Antonio’s guards and wings, with the Blazers’ centers distracted on the perimeter.
—
Christian Clark, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The standout Indian kitchen has tandoor ovens — an industry rarity — meaning curries arrive with real naan instead of the pita many other ships pass off as a substitute.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Sure enough, a member of the security team snagged the jersey, and it was passed off to a man who admired the jersey sitting in the ride behind Leo.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
The original movie was passed off as a documentary on death, but paired mostly staged violence with real footage taken at murder scenes and accident sites, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pass off
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Christian Clark, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The standout Indian kitchen has tandoor ovens — an industry rarity — meaning curries arrive with real naan instead of the pita many other ships pass off as a substitute.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Sure enough, a member of the security team snagged the jersey, and it was passed off to a man who admired the jersey sitting in the ride behind Leo.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
The original movie was passed off as a documentary on death, but paired mostly staged violence with real footage taken at murder scenes and accident sites, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pass off
Cite this Entry
“Pass off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pass%20off. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
pass off
transitive verb1
: to make public or offer for sale (goods or services) with intent to deceive : palm off
passing his product off as that of the plaintiff's—W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton
see also unfair competition
W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton2
: to give a false identity or character to
they created the documents on the day of the trial and passed them off as being made earlier
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