bypass
To go around or avoid a place, person, system, or procedure in order to save time or skip a requirement. In academic and technical contexts, it often refers to finding an alternative route or method to circumvent a problem or obstacle.
Examples
3 of 5We decided to bypass the heavy traffic by taking the back roads through the village.
We decided to bypass the heavy traffic by taking the back roads through the village.
The committee voted to bypass the standard protocol in order to expedite the emergency relief funds.
The committee voted to bypass the standard protocol in order to expedite the emergency relief funds.
I usually just bypass the intro and get straight to the main part of the video.
I usually just bypass the intro and get straight to the main part of the video.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the word structure: BY + PASS. You are passing 'by' the side of the obstacle rather than through it.
Quick Quiz
The software update allows users to _______ the login screen for faster access.
Correct!
The correct answer is: bypass
Examples
We decided to bypass the heavy traffic by taking the back roads through the village.
everydayWe decided to bypass the heavy traffic by taking the back roads through the village.
The committee voted to bypass the standard protocol in order to expedite the emergency relief funds.
formalThe committee voted to bypass the standard protocol in order to expedite the emergency relief funds.
I usually just bypass the intro and get straight to the main part of the video.
informalI usually just bypass the intro and get straight to the main part of the video.
The researchers developed a method to bypass the blood-brain barrier for more effective drug delivery.
academicThe researchers developed a method to bypass the blood-brain barrier for more effective drug delivery.
Our strategy is to bypass the middleman and sell our products directly to the end consumer.
businessOur strategy is to bypass the middleman and sell our products directly to the end consumer.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
bypass the chain of command
to go over someone's head in a hierarchy
heart bypass
a surgical procedure to redirect blood flow
bypass the censors
to avoid being restricted by official reviewers
Often Confused With
Surpass means to be better or greater than something, while bypass means to go around it.
Pass simply means to move by; bypass implies a deliberate act of avoidance or finding a secondary route.
Usage Notes
Bypass can be used both as a verb and a noun. It is frequently used in technical, medical, and bureaucratic contexts to describe an alternative path.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 'pass by' when they mean 'bypass'. 'Pass by' is passive movement near something, while 'bypass' implies a strategic choice to avoid a central path.
Memory Tip
Think of the word structure: BY + PASS. You are passing 'by' the side of the obstacle rather than through it.
Word Origin
Originates from the prefix 'by-' (meaning near or secondary) and the verb 'pass', first used in the 16th century to describe a side passage.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In many English-speaking countries, 'a bypass' is the common term for a major road built to take traffic around a town.
Quick Quiz
The software update allows users to _______ the login screen for faster access.
Correct!
The correct answer is: bypass
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