# pass out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pass-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to suddenly faint for a short time. You use this when someone is very sick, tired, or in pain.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The heat passed him out." but "The heat made him pass out." — In the sense of fainting, the verb is intransitive and cannot take an object.

## Usage notes

- 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'.

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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.