Phrasal verb
pass out
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
pass out
Past
passed out
Past participle
passed out
Definition
phrasal verb. to suddenly faint for a short time. You use this when someone is very sick, tired, or in pain.
phrasal verb. To lose consciousness suddenly and involuntarily. The verb is intransitive in this sense and typically describes fainting due to heat, exhaustion, or medical issues.
Examples
“He often passes out at the sight of blood.”
“After running the marathon in the midday sun, one of the athletes passed out and needed medical attention.”
“The witness passed out momentarily under the intense pressure of the cross-examination, causing a brief recess in the trial proceedings.”
Examples
simple
“He often passes out at the sight of blood.”
contextual
“After running the marathon in the midday sun, one of the athletes passed out and needed medical attention.”
complex
“The witness passed out momentarily under the intense pressure of the cross-examination, causing a brief recess in the trial proceedings.”
Usage
This sense of the phrase is intransitive and never takes a direct object.
Teaching tip
Contrast this intransitive 'fainting' sense with the transitive sense meaning 'to distribute', which requires an object like 'papers' or 'leaflets'.
Pitfall
The heat passed him out.
The heat made him pass out.
In the sense of fainting, the verb is intransitive and cannot take an object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
pass + out
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
PHRASAL VERB
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/pass-out