Pass away means to die. It is a soft, respectful way to talk about a person's death, usually someone close to you or someone you knew. “Die” is more direct and fits any text, and for plants and devices only “die” is used: My phone died.
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pass away in + year/place; pass away at the age of + number; die = neutral word
- My grandmother passed away last spring, and we still make her soup every Sunday.
- The writer passed away before finishing his last novel, so his son completed it.
What changed
First versionOur old neighbour was passed away last winter.
RevisionOur old neighbour passed away last winter.
“Was” before “passed away” is not needed. You use “was” in “he was dead”, which describes a state, while “passed away”, like “died”, tells you what happened and works without “was”. In the corrected sentence, “was” is removed and nothing else changes.
“Pass out” means something completely different: to faint. I nearly passed out in the crowded underground. Someone who has passed out comes round later, so if you mix up these phrases when talking about someone's health, you could seriously frighten the listener.
Your turn
My colleague's uncle ___ last week, so she has flown home for the funeral.
Show the answer
passed away — The colleague's uncle died, and she has flown home for the funeral, so “passed away” fits. “Passed out” would mean he fainted, and then there would be no funeral to fly to.
Write a short message to a colleague who has lost someone close. Express your sympathy and offer specific help.
I was very sorry to hear that your mother passed away, and I can cover your shifts next week if you need time off.
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