pass away — die
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to die, used as a more gentle or polite way to talk about someone’s death.
Say it like a native
Textbook My grandfather became deceased last year.
Native My grandfather passed away last year.
'Pass away' is the gentle, normal euphemism; 'became deceased' isn't real English.
Pattern: subject + pass away
In use
- Her grandfather passed away peacefully last night.daily life
- In my country, when someone passes away, families usually gather to remember them together.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ He passed away from this world peacefully.
✓ He passed away peacefully.
'Pass away' already means die — don't add 'from this world'.
Common collocations
pass away— passed away, peacefully, passed away last year, sadly
Don't confuse it
'Pass away' is softer and more polite than simply saying 'die'.