1 A2 neutral
To move past a place or person without stopping.
"We passed by the old school and I felt a wave of nostalgia."
inseparable
pass by
A2 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To move past a person or place without stopping, or for time and opportunities to go unnoticed.
In plain English
To walk, drive, or go past something without stopping there.
What does "pass by" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
(of time or opportunity) To go unnoticed or unused.
"Don't let this chance pass you by — it may never come again."
inseparable
3 B1 informal
(informal, American English) To make a brief visit to a person or place.
"I'll pass by your office around noon to drop off those documents."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move past the side of something.
Actually means
To walk, drive, or go past something without stopping there.
Usage tip
Used in both literal (physical movement) and figurative (time, opportunity) senses. In the figurative sense, often used with 'let' ('don't let this opportunity pass you by'). Also used when making a quick, informal visit in American English.
Words that pair with "pass by"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
opportunity chance time window house shop
How to conjugate "pass by"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pass by
I/you/we/they
3rd person
passes by
he/she/it
Past simple
passed by
yesterday
Past participle
passed by
have + pp
-ing form
passing by
continuous
Hear "pass by" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pass by" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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