possibly passed up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "possibly passed up" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing opportunities or options that may have been overlooked or not taken advantage of. Example: "She realized she had possibly passed up a great job opportunity by not applying in time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

How could Stein have possibly passed up such an offer?

The Washington Post

How could he have possibly passed up that opportunity?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

This is just the kind of insanely ironic story that Maher couldn't possibly pass up -- a Muslim man who founded a TV station to dispel the stereotypes about Muslim-Americans goes and chops his wife's head off.

Huffington Post

A three-time All-Star, Hamels passed up an opportunity to possibly get more money on the open market to stay with the team that drafted him in 2002.

The New York Times - Sports

Kirill passed up every chance to take a slap shot on me, possibly saving me a trip to the hospital.

The New York Times

But he neglected to mention that he passed up a few chances to substantively amend the filibuster rules — and possibly avoid the very problem we are having now.

The New York Times

They passed up open shots.

The New York Times - Sports

Having passed up a glorious chance to win the Masters, the poor man had been roundly written off as a player who could never possibly bounce back from such a bitter disappointment.

The Guardian - Sport

But it was hard for her to pass up the possibly career-making role as college-student ingenue Anastasia Steele, the central character in the big-screen adaptation of E.L. James' wildly popular bondage and domination trilogy. .

Los Angeles Times

Some analysts speculated yesterday that small online brokerage firms, faced with a prolonged slump in trading by their customers, had become too cheap for E*Trade -- and, possibly, other big firms -- to pass up.

The New York Times

Alas, Metro did not mention Mr. Cooper by name, passing up an opportunity to become possibly the first publicly listed company ever to incorporate the author of the song "Love's a Loaded Gun" into a quarterly earnings report.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the degree of certainty implied by "possibly". If you're certain something was missed, stronger verbs like "definitely" or "certainly" will be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "possibly passed up" when you have concrete evidence that an opportunity was definitively lost. Using "definitely missed" or "clearly forfeited" will reflect the situation more accurately.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "possibly passed up" functions as a verb phrase indicating a potential missed opportunity or declined option. It suggests a degree of uncertainty about whether something was actually missed or if it was a deliberate choice.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "possibly passed up" is a verb phrase used to express the idea that an opportunity might have been missed or declined, with a degree of uncertainty. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct. While relatively rare in occurrence, its primary context lies within News & Media. When writing, consider the level of certainty you wish to convey; if the missed opportunity is definite, stronger language might be more appropriate. Alternatives include "potentially missed out on" or "perhaps declined". Ensure clarity in your writing by explicitly stating what was missed and why it mattered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

potentially missed out on

Emphasizes the unrealized benefits of the opportunity.

may have bypassed

Emphasizes going around or avoiding an opportunity.

perhaps declined

Focuses on the act of refusing or rejecting something.

might have disregarded

Focuses on the lack of attention given to the opportunity.

maybe forfeited

Suggests a more significant loss or consequence.

could have neglected

Implies a failure to care for or take advantage of the chance.

possibly relinquished

Implies a voluntary giving up of something.

potentially ignored

Emphasizes the act of consciously overlooking something.

conceivably skipped

Suggests a less formal or intentional oversight.

perhaps not pursued

Focuses on the lack of active effort to secure the opportunity.

FAQs

What does "possibly passed up" mean?

The phrase "possibly passed up" means that someone might have missed or overlooked an opportunity, but it's not certain.

What can I say instead of "possibly passed up"?

You can use alternatives like "potentially missed out on", "perhaps declined", or "maybe forfeited" depending on the context.

How do I use "possibly passed up" in a sentence?

Example: "She possibly passed up a great job opportunity by not applying in time."

Is it correct to say "possibly passed on" instead of "possibly passed up"?

While "passed on" can sometimes be used similarly, "passed up" specifically implies missing an opportunity. "Passed on" often refers to something being given to someone else or declining something.