# pass the torch

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pass-the-torch
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To transfer responsibility.

## Examples

- The manager will pass the torch to her assistant next month.
- After thirty years of running the family business, the owner decided it was time to pass the torch to his daughter.
- The retiring professor prepared to pass the torch to his most promising student, trusting her to continue his life's work with the same dedication.

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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.