pass up

not take a chance or opportunity that is offered

B2

What does "pass sth up" mean?

To pass up something means to choose not to take an opportunity that is available to you. There is usually an implication that the opportunity was valuable — so passing it up was either a difficult decision or, more often, seen as a mistake. You will frequently find this phrase in situations involving job offers, chances to travel, scholarships, or other significant moments where someone could have benefited but didn't act. Unlike simply saying no to a request, passing up something carries a subtle suggestion of missed advantage or even regret. The fixed phrase 'too good to pass up' is so common that it's worth learning as a complete chunk — it means an opportunity is so attractive that no one should refuse it.

Examples

How to use it

pass up + opportunity/chance/offer

The most common structure — 'pass up' is followed directly by a noun referring to an opportunity, offer, or chance.

She passed up a great opportunity to advance her career because the timing wasn't right.

pass + pronoun (it/them) + up

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'pass' and 'up' — placing it after 'up' is incorrect.

They offered him free tickets to the concert, but he passed them up.

pass + short noun phrase + up

Short noun phrases can also appear between the verb and particle, though longer phrases work better after 'up'.

I can't believe she passed the offer up — it was a fantastic salary.

too good to pass up

This near-fixed phrase is used to say that an opportunity is so attractive it would be foolish to decline it.

A paid internship at a top design firm? That's too good to pass up.

be passed up (passive)

The passive form is possible but most natural in phrases emphasising the value of what shouldn't be refused.

A scholarship opportunity like that really shouldn't be passed up.

Common Collocations

pass up an opportunitypass up a chancepass up an offerpass up a jobtoo good to pass uppass it up

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'pass up' with 'turn down'

'Pass up' is specifically used for opportunities and implies a sense of missed advantage or loss. 'Turn down' is more general and can apply to people, requests, and offers without suggesting the same weight of missed benefit.

✗ I turned down the chance to study abroad — I really regret it now.
✓ I passed up the chance to study abroad — I really regret it now.
Confusing 'pass up' with 'give up'

'Pass up' means deciding not to take an opportunity from the start; 'give up' means stopping or abandoning something you have already started or own.

✗ After three weeks, she gave up the promotion she'd been offered.
✓ She passed up the promotion she'd been offered and stayed in her current role.
Using present continuous tense

Because passing up an opportunity is a decision rather than an ongoing action, the present continuous sounds unnatural. Use the simple past, present perfect, or a modal instead.

✗ I am passing up the job offer right now.
✓ I've decided to pass up the job offer.

Usage

The phrase 'too good to pass up' is very common and nearly fixed — learn it as a chunk. 'Pass up' is neutral and works equally in American and British English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'pass up' always suggest regret?

Not always, but it very often implies that the opportunity had real value, so there is at least a hint that declining it was a significant choice. When someone says 'I passed up the chance to move to New York', the listener usually assumes the speaker sees it as a notable decision. The phrase is less neutral than simply saying 'I decided not to'.

What kinds of things can you 'pass up'? Can it be a person?

You pass up things like opportunities, chances, offers, deals, scholarships, promotions, or invitations — nouns that represent an advantage you could take. You would not typically say you 'passed up a person'. If you want to talk about declining someone's request or rejecting a candidate, 'turn down' is the more natural choice.

Can I use 'pass up' without mentioning what the opportunity was?

The verb needs an object — you can't say 'she passed up' and leave it completely open. However, if the opportunity has already been mentioned in the conversation, you can use a pronoun: 'I can't believe she passed it up.' Without any reference to the opportunity, the sentence feels incomplete.

Is 'too good to pass up' a fixed expression?

It's not completely frozen, but it's used so frequently that it functions almost like an idiom. You'll hear and read it constantly in everyday conversation, journalism, and advertising. It's well worth learning as a ready-made phrase, especially because the negative construction ('too good to pass up' rather than 'I will take it') is a very natural way to explain why someone accepted something.

Can I use 'pass up' to talk about something happening right now?

It's better to avoid the present continuous ('I am passing up') because passing up an opportunity is a decision, not an activity that unfolds over time. Instead, use a modal or going-to future ('I'm going to pass up the offer') or the simple present if you mean something habitual ('she never passes up a free meal').

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