pass by

happen without someone noticing or making use of it (time, an opportunity)

B2

What does "pass sb by" mean?

This sense of 'pass by' describes something valuable — an opportunity, a moment, or a period of life — slipping away without being used or enjoyed. The subject is always something abstract, like time, a chance, or an opportunity, and the feeling is usually one of loss or regret. It often appears in warnings or advice, urging someone not to let something good escape their grasp. There is a slightly melancholic quality to this phrasal verb: it implies that the person was passive or simply not paying attention while something worthwhile drifted away. You'll find it in everyday conversation, motivational writing, and reflective storytelling whenever the theme is missed chances or time wasted.

Examples

How to use it

let + opportunity/time/chance + pass + pronoun + by

This is the most natural and frequent construction, especially as a warning. The pronoun (me, you, us, him, her, them) sits between 'pass' and 'by'.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by — apply for the job today.

opportunity/time/life + pass + pronoun + by

With pronoun objects, the pronoun must go between 'pass' and 'by', not after 'by'. This form is strongly preferred over placing the pronoun elsewhere.

He felt as though his twenties had passed him by in a blur of routine.

opportunity/chance/moment + pass by (without object)

When there is no explicit object, 'pass by' can stand alone, often with a pronoun already established by context.

It was a rare chance, and she let it pass by without a second thought.

watch/see + opportunity/time + pass + pronoun + by

Verbs like 'watch' and 'see' often appear before this phrasal verb to emphasise that someone was aware of the loss but did nothing.

She watched the chance to travel pass her by while she kept telling herself she'd go 'next year'.

years/months/days + pass by

Periods of time can be the subject when the focus is on time drifting away without meaningful use, carrying an implicit sense of missed opportunity.

The months passed by, and he still hadn't started the project he'd been planning.

Common Collocations

opportunity pass bychance pass bytime pass bylife pass bymoment pass byyears pass by

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placed after 'by'

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'pass' and 'by', not after 'by'. Placing it after 'by' sounds unnatural in this sense.

✗ Don't let this chance pass by you.
✓ Don't let this chance pass you by.
Confusing 'pass by' with 'pass up'

'Pass up' means to actively choose not to take an opportunity, while 'pass by' in this sense suggests the opportunity drifts away, often because someone was passive or unaware. They are not interchangeable.

✗ She passed by the job offer because the salary was too low.
✓ She passed up the job offer because the salary was too low.
Using a person as the subject

In this sense, the subject must be something abstract — time, an opportunity, a moment — not a person or vehicle. Using a person as the subject shifts the meaning to the physical sense of walking or driving past a place.

✗ My colleague passed by the promotion without noticing.
✓ The promotion passed him by without him even noticing.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both spoken and written English. It is most commonly used with abstract subjects like 'opportunity', 'time', or 'life', and almost always appears in contexts involving advice, regret, or reflection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'pass by' be used in the passive, like 'the opportunity was passed by'?

No — this phrasal verb is very rarely used in the passive, and it usually sounds awkward. Because the subject is an abstract thing doing the 'passing' (e.g. time, a chance), it doesn't work well the other way around. Stick to the active form: 'the opportunity passed him by'.

Does 'pass by' always carry a sense of regret or loss?

In this particular sense, yes — there is almost always at least an implied feeling of loss, missed potential, or a cautionary warning. If you simply want to describe time passing in a neutral way (without any suggestion of waste or regret), 'go by' would be a more natural choice.

What kinds of things can be the subject of 'pass by' in this sense?

The subject is always abstract — things like time, life, an opportunity, a chance, a moment, or a golden occasion. It is never a person or a physical object moving past a location in this sense. If you see a person or vehicle as the subject, 'pass by' is being used in its different, physical meaning.

Is 'pass by' more common in spoken English or written English?

It appears naturally in both. In spoken English, you'll often hear it in personal advice or warnings like 'Don't let this pass you by.' In written English, it turns up in motivational articles, personal essays, and narrative writing where missed opportunities or the passage of time are themes.

Can I use 'pass by' to talk about something happening right now, like a current opportunity?

Yes — you can use it in the present continuous to describe something slipping away as you speak: 'Your chance is passing you by while you wait.' It's also very common in the imperative or with 'let' to urge someone to act before it's too late: 'Don't let this moment pass you by.'

Ready to practise?

Practise 1,000+ English phrasal verbs with interactive gap-fill exercises.

Start Practising →