1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To be accepted or mistaken for a particular type of person or thing, often because of appearance.
"With his fluent accent, he could easily pass as a native speaker."
inseparable
pass as
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To be accepted or mistaken for something or someone different from what one actually is.
In plain English
To look enough like something else that people think you really are that thing.
What does "pass as" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To deliberately present oneself as a different kind of person in order to be accepted in a particular context.
"She dressed smartly so she could pass as a business executive at the networking event."
inseparable
Usage tip
Often used when discussing identity, disguise, or the ability of an imitation to be mistaken for the real thing. Very similar to 'pass for'. Can carry a neutral or slightly deceptive connotation depending on context.
Words that pair with "pass as"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
expert local adult native speaker original
How to conjugate "pass as"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pass as
I/you/we/they
3rd person
passes as
he/she/it
Past simple
passed as
yesterday
Past participle
passed as
have + pp
-ing form
passing as
continuous
Hear "pass as" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pass as" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.