How to Use hard pass in a Sentence

hard pass

noun
  • So, leaving my children in the kids’ club with strangers was initially a hard pass for me.
    — Essence, 29 July 2024
  • Some internet threads have also inquired about rinsing raw ground beef, and that’s a hard pass, too.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Feb. 2023
  • But while there are a rainbow of hues designers would happily coat a room in, some shades a hard pass for the pros.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024
  • With a clean interior, a hard pass on manual labor is the icing on the cake.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Of course, that's a hard pass, and the whole trip ends with Sue giving birth in a space shuttle escape back to Earth.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 27 July 2025
  • However, having his music on in the bedroom is a hard pass for Ginuwine.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2024
  • But the Fox Sports lead analyst would take a hard pass on playing an entire season.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
  • And yellow typically comes up as being like an absolute hard pass for a lot of people.
    — Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2025
  • Slipping on snow or ice is a hard pass, but the Ugg Classic Suede Slippers?
    — Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2023
  • Claims of Curing Disease If the product claims to cure disease, that's a hard pass.
    — Kathleen Felton, Health, 17 Dec. 2023
  • Unfortunately, this grill is a hard pass until the issue is resolved.
    — Scott Gilbertson Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 19 Sep. 2025
  • As for the parties that don’t have adequate seating or ideal circumstances, food stations should be a hard pass.
    — Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024
  • The time commitment, the awkward small talk during exercises…a hard pass, and last resort, just like surgery.
    — Kelli Acciardo, Allure, 20 Sep. 2024
  • At one point, the White House sought to revoke Acosta’s hard pass, and the network challenged the move in court.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Of course, most makeup products are subjective, and one person’s hard pass could be another’s treasure.
    — Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 15 Jan. 2024
  • Ezra Ausar sent a hard pass through the paint to the freshman for the first, then Woods grabbed a steal and dished the ball to Arenas for a layup.
    — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
  • That was after DeBrusk was a victim of friendly fire, taking a hard pass from Hall off the head late in the first.
    — Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Apr. 2023
  • And the thought of Bedard winging those hard passes into the crease to a waiting Bertuzzi for years to come is awfully appealing.
    — Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
  • In light of what the Heat went through with Terry Rozier, anything less than complete clarity would figure to lead to a hard pass.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
  • Nazem Kadri picked out Nelson in the slot for a hard pass, and the latter redirected it into the top-left corner of the net for his 33rd goal of the season.
    — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Some claim that the treatment eases inflammation, but If that’s a hard pass, doctor approved cosmetic procedures will be offered here too, as of next year.
    — Carole Sovocool, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2023
  • Protein powders, smoothie additives, workout supplements—hard pass.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Mar. 2026
  • That development prompts a desperate attempt to round up the rest of the Justice League to halt Zod, starting with a very ornery Batman, who takes a hard pass on stepping back into the fray.
    — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 June 2023
  • Rather than freeze the puck, Merzlikins fired a hard pass back at Werenski from close range, the puck kicking off the inside of Werenski’s left skate and skidding into the slot where the Leafs pounced.
    — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Earlier this year, the Pentagon made most of its hallways off limits to journalists without an official government escort, a departure from previous hard pass policies.
    — Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The trimming of the sails comes amid a particularly rocky run for Bad Robot, with several ambitious projects featuring high-wattage talent getting a hard pass or stuck in development hell.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The new rules also set criteria for obtaining a hard pass — a set of standards that effectively establishes who, according to the White House, qualifies as a journalist worthy of routine access.
    — Paul Farhi, Washington Post, 9 May 2023
  • Aloha Collection Day Tripper For frequent fliers, basic everyday totes without zippers, foldability, or water resistance are a hard pass.
    — Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Instead, Tuttle suffered 10 rejections in a row, including hard passes from indie bastions like Sundance and SXSW.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hard pass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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