moving past

USAGE SUMMARY

"moving past" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate overcoming or progressing beyond a situation or emotion. Example: "She is moving past her fears and embracing new opportunities." Alternative expressions include "getting over," "overcoming," and "progressing beyond."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

But that was ten years ago, and far from moving past my lesbianism, I turned pro.

Vice

Moving past the letdown, they're getting pumped up for the next week's game.

The New York Times

We're moving past that".

The New York Times - Sports

She's moving past the viewer".

The New York Times - Books

Moving Past the Criticism Wittenberg's schedule is packed.

The New York Times - Sports

But it's also an advocate for moving past shame.

The New Yorker

Jameel said he is having trouble moving past that day.

The New Yorker

The highway essentially acts as a dike, keeping the saltwater from moving past it.

The New York Times

Other players, "three or four years younger than me," were moving past him.

The New York Times - Sports

Moving past these humiliations and rejoining polite society are contingent on serious gym time.

The New York Times

"This team is really good at not dwelling on it, and moving past it".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical writing, use it to describe an object physically traversing a specific threshold

Common error

Avoid using "moving past" when you mean "moving through". "moving past" implies leaving something behind entirely, whereas "moving through" suggests being in the middle of a process.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "moving past" typically functions as a present participle phrase. According to Ludwig, it can act as the main verb in a continuous tense or as a gerund/participle modifying a subject. It describes the action of traversing a point or overcoming a state.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Wiki

12%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academic

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "moving past" is a versatile and grammatically correct expression confirmed by Ludwig AI. It appears with high frequency across elite publications like The New York Times and The New Yorker. Its primary strength lies in its dual capacity to describe physical movement and emotional recovery. Whether a sports team is overcoming a loss or a researcher is describing a biological phase transition, the phrase provides a clear sense of trajectory. Writers should prefer it when the goal is to emphasize the act of leaving a previous state or location behind to enter a new one.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moving forward from

Places more emphasis on the future direction than the act of passing the past

getting over

More informal and focused specifically on emotional recovery from a setback

progressing beyond

A more formal alternative often used in academic or professional contexts

leaving behind

Emphasizes the separation from the previous state rather than the forward movement

overcoming

Focuses heavily on the victory over a specific obstacle or hardship

transcending

Suggests a more elevated or spiritual level of rising above a limitation

evolving from

Suggests a natural and gradual development out of a previous condition

outgrowing

Implies that the subject has developed enough to no longer be affected by the past state

surpassing

Commonly used for numerical milestones or qualitative benchmarks

bypassing

Suggests avoiding an obstacle entirely rather than dealing with it and moving on

FAQs

How do I use "moving past" in a sentence?

You can use "moving past" to describe overcoming an emotion, such as "she is moving past her grief", or a physical action, like "the train is moving past the station".

What is the difference between "moving past" and "getting over"?

While both mean recovery, "getting over" is more informal and often implies emotional healing, whereas "moving past" can apply to physical, organizational or developmental progress.

Can I say "progressing beyond" instead?

Yes, "progressing beyond" is a more formal and professional alternative, often found in business reports or academic papers.

Is it correct to use "moving past" for a physical object?

Absolutely. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used to describe objects or entities "travelling past" a certain point, such as a hurricane moving past a coastline.