Meaning trap

pass by

miss an opportunity

To fail to take advantage of an opportunity or allow it to go unnoticed or unused.

phrasal verbC1occasional

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

miss an opportunity

To fail to take advantage of an opportunity or allow it to go unnoticed or unused.

pass by (to go past someone or something)

'pass by' also has the more basic meaning 'to go past someone or something'; this is the advanced sense.

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

Don't let this chance pass by—you might not get another one.opportunity
Many people regret letting valuable opportunities pass by due to fear or indecision.IELTS speaking

Pattern: let/allow sth to pass by; let/allow an opportunity/chance to pass by

WrongDon't let the chance pass by you.

RightDon't let the chance pass you by.

Word order — 'pass you by', not 'pass by you'.

Patternlet/allow sth to pass by; let/allow an opportunity/chance to pass by

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff One should not permit such an opportunity to elapse unutilised.

Natural Don't let this chance pass you by.

'Let it pass you by' is the natural idiom; 'permit it to elapse unutilised' is dense and lifeless.

Words that usually travel with it.

let something pass you by
let it pass you bylife passing bylet the chance passpass me by

Unlike the B1 sense, which is about physically moving past something, this sense is figurative and refers to not taking advantage of an opportunity.

pass by (to go past someone or something) — 'pass by' also has the more basic meaning 'to go past someone or something'; this is the advanced sense.