to pass away

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to pass away" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it as a euphemism for dying, often in sensitive contexts. Example: "After a long illness, she decided to let go and pass away peacefully." Alternative expressions include "to die" and "to depart."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Your parents are supposed to pass away before you.

Independent

Would he be happy to pass away on set?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

I certainly didn't want him to pass away".

The Guardian

Thomas died on Sunday, the first of the Nine to pass away.

The New Yorker

The second was a man in his late 70s who we expected to pass away.

The Guardian

There is nothing you can do; it's that person's time to pass away.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I mean, it's somebody's life, that just happened to pass away.

The New York Times

For one so full of life to pass away so young is difficult to comprehend.

The Guardian - Sport

"He's getting old, and quite naturally, he's going to pass away," said 21-year-old student Maleho Makgothi.

Independent

A doctors' "death diary" shows exactly how it feels to pass away after being bitten by a snake.

Independent

As a result, Toulouse-Lautrec devoted ever greater periods to art in order to pass away the frequently lonely hours.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the subject of the phrase is a person or occasionally a beloved pet; it is rarely used for inanimate objects or concepts unless personified.

Common error

Avoid using "to pass away" in formal medical reports or legal documents where the specific term "deceased" or "pronounced dead" is required for precision. Euphemisms can lead to ambiguity in technical contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to pass away" functions as an intransitive phrasal verb. In the linguistic data provided by Ludwig, it consistently appears as a subject-verb construction where the act of dying is mitigated through the metaphorical use of 'passing'. It does not take a direct object.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "to pass away" is a fundamental component of the English language when dealing with sensitive subject matter. Ludwig AI shows that this phrase is deeply embedded in professional journalism and formal documentation as a way to convey respect. While it is essentially synonymous with "to die", its emotional weight is significantly softer. Writers should favor this expression in obituaries and condolences but may opt for more clinical terms in purely technical or legal environments. With over 60 high quality examples in the current dataset, its status as a 'correct' and 'very common' phrase is undeniable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to die

more direct and less euphemistic

to pass on

slightly more informal and often implies a spiritual transition

to depart this life

more formal and poetic

to lose one's life

often used in news reporting concerning accidents or violence

to perish

implies a sudden or violent death, often in large numbers

to expire

more clinical or technical

to succumb

implies dying after a struggle with an illness or injury

to breathe one's last

highly literary and descriptive

to be no more

more euphemistic and final

to give up the ghost

an older, more idiomatic expression

FAQs

What is the difference between "to pass away" and "to die"?

While both mean the same thing, "to pass away" is a euphemism used to be more polite and less blunt than the direct verb "to die".

Is "to pass away" appropriate for formal writing?

Yes, it is highly appropriate for journalism and formal correspondence, especially when the context is personal or emotional. In scientific writing, researchers often prefer "to expire" or simply "to die".

Can I use "to pass away" for a pet?

Yes, many people use "to pass away" for pets to express the same level of grief and respect they would for a human. Alternatively, you could say the pet was "put to sleep" if euthanasia was involved.

Is it "passed away" or "past away"?

The correct form is "passed away" because it uses the past tense of the verb 'pass'. 'Past' is generally used as a noun, adjective or preposition.