1 B1 neutral
To move quickly past someone, making only brief or light physical contact with them.
"He brushed past the security guard and disappeared into the crowd."
inseparable
brush past
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To move past someone quickly, making brief, light physical contact.
In plain English
To quickly move past someone and just barely touch them as you go.
What does "brush past" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
Very common in narrative fiction and everyday description. Often implies the person is in a hurry or is being intentionally brief in their interaction. Used both with and without an object ('brush past someone' or simply 'brush past').
Words that pair with "brush past"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shoulder crowd stranger doorway guard secretary
How to conjugate "brush past"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
brush past
I/you/we/they
3rd person
brushes past
he/she/it
Past simple
brushed past
yesterday
Past participle
brushed past
have + pp
-ing form
brushing past
continuous
Hear "brush past" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "brush past" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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