It's not "passed" or "passed away", it's "died"

[SherlockHolmes]

So sick of this euphemism being used everywhere. It's not factual - no one has passed anywhere, they're dead.

I get it if it's someone close to you and you can't bring yourself to actually mention death, but it's being used in news reports etc. Utterly ridiculous.

I wonder at the recent addition of "sadly" as a prefix to "died", even on the news.

Presumably to help me stifle an attack of the giggles, or errant cartwheel.

This again. A thread like just this was deleted last week "while Mumsnet had a look behind the scenes".

My mum died of cancer two months ago, and it's died or passed away or whatever I fucking well say to you @SherlockHolmes .

This is used to avoid censorship by SM algorithms, and has seeped into rl language as many words or acronyms do. I like to think it’s used ironically if actually spoken verbally in person.

To answer the OP, I usually follow the lead of the person who has had a loved one die. If they use the term passed away or passed then I imagine it’s because they are finding it hard to use the word died and I respect that. Personally, I don’t use it.

Were you inspired by another thread, @SherlockHolmes ? On my “You’re on” list, there’s an active thread featuring the word ‘passed’ just below this one.

Why ? How does it impact you ?

Agreed. If it helps a grieving person to say passed away, then say that.

I don't mind "passed away", and don't regard it as a euphemism. It's actually quite accurate and in its way, more honest and more bleak than "died", which is a fairly neutral term.

"Passed away", to me, refers to the fate of the dead in relation to the timeline of the living. The living are still moving with the stream of time but now more impoverished, for another loved one has passed into the past.

As an expression it seems to intrinsically accept that there is only one life, and for the newly dead, that has now passed away, forever.

Passed away irritates me slightly, passed even more. I do not use them personally but if folk want to that's up to them.

You think they should be happy about it? Unless they are a criminal and a foul human being it's a sad event for their friends and family

I mean I suppose the announcement could have been after suffering fools gladly for decades the Queen has happily died inconveniently in Scotland causing the maximum amount of headache for security services short of her dying overseas, but that doesn't really carry the same tone does it

What a delightful lack of empathy.

I can’t imagine responding to a text message from my nearest and dearest to let me know someone we know has “passed away” - and me responding “DIED!!”

I mean, why?

I'm not sure why you think you get to police the language people use around death. If it helps some people to use euphemisms, what's it to you?

I use died. My first husband died. It's the way you say it and the words around it that matter. My husband had gone...how you described it didn't ease the pain by not using passed away. My current husband says passed away. His dad's end of life just now. I just use my language and he his.

Roblox
When they die in game there is a ooffed sound

Actually that's used to get around the social media sensors. If they say words like "dead", "died", "suicide" or "killed", among others, they often get banned.

Also, in newspaper articles I don't often see "passed (away)" being used. It's typically so and so "died". But maybe that's just the news outlets I am reading.

I can understand using the term ‘they passed away’ if referring to a child’s death or that of a younger person, as saying ‘they died’ is more final and blunt and not as gentle (imo) but when people use it describing loved ones that die at the average age, I would say “they died” as it’s not shocking as we all do die.

As for “passed” I wouldn’t use that phrase ever.

As a paramedic, was always told to say “died” and not use a euphemism as people could misunderstand but “died” or “dead” is very clear!

I think 'passed' is frequently used in America?

I do the same, with some people I just feel it would make them more comfortable if I use term passed away, whereas I personally don't have any problem with stating the fact, sad as it is, that my parents died. Funny how people can still be aware of small details even with such matters as personal loss and grief .

Surely the person who lost someone choses how they word it....yabu here

I really dislike click baiters, lets get mumsnet riled, well we do not want your opinion and you can go do one! Horrendous things happen in peoples lives and passed seems a gentler way of horrific things that happened at death! I speak from experience, big love to all that this has happened to and hope that you are survivors xx

Like so easy to put in the trash thousands of history or religious beliefs and afterlife and NDE experiences of all kinds. LOL. Really. Open a book

Passed away is a euphemism its a more gentle way to say someone has died.

I had to explain to my ten year old that the sick chicken at school that had been put to sleep was actually dead and not forever sleeping as he thought.

Always best to used dead or died to avoid any kind of misunderstanding especially with children …