pass for meaning and examples thumbnail

pass for meaning and examples

2025-09-21

Meaning

  • Pass for means to be accepted or mistaken as someone or something else, often because of appearance, behavior, or quality.

Grammar and Usage

  • Structure: pass for + noun
  • Part of speech: phrasal verb (intransitive, used with an object after for)
  • Usage: Indicates that someone or something is regarded or mistaken for another identity, role, or category.

Examples of structures:

  • "He could pass for a university student."
  • "This bag could pass for a designer brand."

Common Phrases

  • pass for human – used in the context of robots, AI, or disguises.
  • pass for a native – often about language fluency or cultural behavior.
  • pass for rich/poor/young/old – used to describe perceived social or physical traits.

Collocations

  • pass for a student
  • pass for authentic
  • pass for genuine
  • pass for a native speaker
  • pass for an expert

Examples

  1. He could easily pass for a teenager even though he’s almost 30.
  2. This fake watch could pass for the real thing at first glance.
  3. With her accent, she might pass for a native in France.
  4. The old house could pass for a haunted mansion in a movie.
  5. His story might pass for the truth if you didn’t know him well.
  6. The imitation leather could pass for genuine leather.
  7. He tried to pass for an expert, but his lack of knowledge showed.
  • be mistaken for
  • resemble
  • look like
  • be taken as

Antonym

  • stand out as
  • be recognized as
  • not be mistaken for