# parade passed someone by

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/parade-passed-someone-by
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Someone missed out on the joys of life, an opportunity, or popular movement

## Examples

- He feels like the parade passed him by.
- After working too much for years, he realized the parade passed him by and he missed many fun experiences.
- She sat alone in her quiet house, feeling as though the vibrant parade of life had long since passed her by.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.