pass out meaning and examples thumbnail

pass out meaning and examples

2025-09-21

Meaning

"Pass out" is a phrasal verb with two primary meanings: (1) to faint or lose consciousness temporarily, and (2) to distribute something to a group of people (e.g., papers or samples).

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: phrasal verb (verb + particle).

  • Transitivity:

    • In the sense "to faint": intransitive — no direct object. (e.g., "She passed out.")
    • In the sense "to distribute": transitive — takes a direct object. (e.g., "They passed out flyers.")

  • Typical structures:

    • [subject] + pass out. (intransitive: She passed out.)
    • [subject] + pass out + [object]. (transitive: The teacher passed out the exam.)

  • Variations and related particles:

    • pass someone out — rarely used in modern English to mean cause someone to faint (more common: "knock someone out"); usually avoid this phrasing for clarity.
    • When used reflexively in some dialects: "pass oneself out" is unusual — don't use.

Common Phrases

  • pass out cold — to faint deeply or sleep immediately (informal).
  • pass out from heat/dehydration — faint because of an external cause.
  • pass out flyers/leaflets — distribute printed materials.
  • pass out at the party — faint during a social event (often due to alcohol or exhaustion).

Collocations

  • Verb + particle: pass out (phrasal verb)

  • Nouns frequently used with the distribution sense:

    • pass out flyers, pamphlets, samples, exam papers, medals.

  • Adverbs/phrases used with fainting sense:

    • completely, suddenly, from exhaustion, from heat, from alcohol.

Examples

  1. After standing in the hot sun for hours, he nearly passed out.
  2. The nurse warned her not to stand up too quickly or she might pass out.
  3. At the concert entrance, volunteers passed out free earplugs to the crowd.
  4. She passed out during the speech because she hadn't eaten all day.
  5. The teacher passed out the test papers and gave students 60 minutes to finish.
  6. He drank too much and passed out on the sofa.
  7. Emergency responders checked to see if anyone had passed out from smoke inhalation.
  8. They passed out awards to the volunteers at the end of the ceremony.
  • (fainting sense) — faint, black out, lose consciousness.
  • (distribution sense) — distribute, hand out, give out, dispense.

Antonym

  • (fainting sense) — stay conscious, remain awake.
  • (distribution sense) — collect, gather, withhold.