bypassed

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'bypassed' is correct and commonly used in written English.
You can use 'bypassed' when referring to a situation where someone or something has been avoided or overlooked in order to achieve a certain goal or outcome. It can also be used to indicate that a person or thing has been passed over or disregarded. Example: Despite her qualifications, she was bypassed for the promotion because of her gender.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Other rights that are automatic for UK nationals, but that residents from other EU countries must pass a "right to reside" test to qualify for are also very easily bypassed by claiming to be self employed.

The Guardian

The mushrooming of streaming and filesharing anime online, sometimes with fans providing the subtitles – "fansubbing" as it is known – is also resulting in TV channels being bypassed, though the legal status of doing this is murky.

The Guardian

Electricity workers had to make the property safe as it appeared the electricity meter had been bypassed to draw the large amount of power required to grow the cannabis plants hydroponically.

The Guardian

Torture of Women (1976), is the best known of these; the Serpentine's selection has bypassed this, and Marduk (1986) looks to be the sole instance on show.

The Guardian - Arts

But Acma's chair, Chris Chapman, told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday the authority only bypassed the standard complaints process in exceptional circumstances.

The Guardian

Five minutes later the lead had doubled following a move from the visitors that bypassed United's midfield and defence too easily.

The Guardian - Sport

Petrol tax will increase from November after the government bypassed Senate opposition and imposed the excise hike proposed in the budget to raise $2.2bn from motorists over the next four years.

The Guardian

In Vanni, a region that has been bypassed by time, Mr Prabhakaran commands a Führer's awe rather than the mere respect accorded to ordinary leaders.But Mr Prabhakaran is striking democratic poses.

The Economist

The "feminist revolution seems to have bypassed low-income men".

The Economist

Mike Rothman, a researcher at Securosis, a security firm, explains in a white paper that hardware designed to repel such attacks can be bypassed using encrypted connections (HTTPS sessions), which are typically handled directly by the server.

The Economist

The flow of people and ideas that brought innovation to maritime countries largely bypassed landlocked ones.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "bypassed", ensure the context clearly indicates what was avoided and the reason for doing so to maintain clarity.

Common error

Avoid using prepositions like "through" or "over" after "bypassed", as it already implies going around or avoiding something directly. Instead, focus on clarifying what system or process was bypassed.

Linguistic Context

The word "bypassed" functions primarily as a verb in the past participle form. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage as representing an action of avoiding or going around something. Examples show it describing actions taken to avoid processes or physical obstacles.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "bypassed" functions as a verb (past participle) to indicate the act of avoiding or circumventing something, be it a process, rule, or physical obstacle. Ludwig AI validates that it is correct and commonly used in English. Its usage is frequently found in news, business, and scientific contexts, holding a generally neutral tone. When employing "bypassed", make sure the context clearly shows what or who has been avoided and the cause. Alternatives include "circumvented", "skirted", and "went around", each carrying subtly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bypassed

Action of passing to the side or around

circumvented

Implies avoiding a rule or obstacle, often cleverly or illegally. Slightly different nuance focused on rules/laws.

circumvented

Implies avoiding a rule or obstacle, often cleverly or illegally. Slightly different nuance focused on rules/laws.

skirted

Suggests going around the edge of something, either physically or figuratively.

went around

A more general term for avoiding something, whether it's a physical object or a process.

avoided

A simple and direct way to say that something was kept away from or not encountered.

overlooked

Implies that something was missed or ignored, often unintentionally.

sidestepped

Suggests avoiding a direct confrontation or difficult issue.

got around

Similar to "went around", but can also imply finding a way to overcome an obstacle.

passed over

Indicates that someone or something was not chosen or selected.

FAQs

How is "bypassed" used in a sentence?

Bypassed is generally used as the past tense and past participle of the verb "bypass", meaning to avoid or go around something. For example, "The construction "bypassed the town"".

What's a synonym for "bypassed"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "bypassed" include "circumvented", "avoided", "went around", or "sidestepped".

What does it mean when a process is "bypassed"?

When a process is "bypassed", it means that the standard steps or procedures were avoided or skipped. This can be done for efficiency, or sometimes inappropriately to circumvent rules or regulations.

Is it correct to say someone was "bypassed for" a promotion?

Yes, it's correct to say someone was "bypassed for" a promotion. This indicates that they were overlooked or not selected in favor of someone else. The phrase indicates the person was "passed over".