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Glite Dictionary
to pass the baton

to pass the baton

1 3.5
To give responsibility or control to another person during a planned change
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : pasar el testigo
  • And hopefully we pass the baton to younger generations and they carry on that ripple and their work has no end.

I do my part first and then I pass the baton to the actor and the director and they bring their resources, which are different from my resources.

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Examples

  • I'll pass the baton off to you.

    Licorice Pizza (2021)

  • Look, with all due respect, sir... ...I just always thought, when the time came... ...that you'd pass the baton to me.

    The Gospel (2005)

  • I think it's fair that we say, you know, pass the baton to us.

  • And now we give, we passed the baton of control off to this thing that we created.

  • You have to learn how to pass the baton and allow people with talent to stretch your work and grow it.

    Blog text (21)

  • So I'd rather pass the baton on to somebody who loves this school.

    Betray (2023)

  • Time to pass the baton, isn't it?

    Blinder (2013)

  • I have decided to retire and pass the baton to a worthy successor.

    Admission (2013)

  • Departing in January for an extended period in London, I pass the baton to my BYU colleague Melvin J. Luthy, whom the executive committee has asked to serve as acting secretary-treasurer until he or another is confirmed at the 1996 conference.

    Academic text (1995)

  • After many successful years, the CEO decided to pass the baton to a new leader who could bring fresh ideas.

Synonyms

to pass on
vsto pass the baton
134 2.7

To give something to another person, often information or a message

is used for planned sequence transfers rather than general giving
to hand down
vsto pass the baton
49 3.6

Give objects, knowledge, or traditions to younger people in your family

is about transferring responsibility in sequence rather than giving things to younger people
to delegate
vsto pass the baton
45 3.7

To give a job and authority to someone so they do it for you

focuses on giving responsibility so another does the work rather than a simple transfer
to hand off
vsto pass the baton
  • US
22 3.7

Give responsibility, control, or an object to another person

is about transferring responsibility within a sequence rather than a single direct exchange
to pass the torch
vsto pass the baton
4 4.1

Give responsibility for your job to the person who will replace you

is more about giving control as part of a planned sequence than symbolism

Antonyms

to stay in control
  • US
264 3.7

Keep power over a situation and stay calm

How Complete

to cede
  • Formal
39 8.2
to relinquish
  • Formal
69 7.2
to hand over
296 2.8
to pass the baton
  • Informal
1 3.5
to delegate
45 3.7

Surface Forms

pass the baton infinitive
passed the baton past
passed the baton past participle
passing the baton present participle
passes the baton third person singular

Morphology

pass + the + baton

Literally 'pass' + 'baton' describes handing a relay baton to the next runner, so a learner who knows both words can infer a transfer of something to another person. However, the extended meaning 'transfer responsibility or control' requires recognizing the relay-race metaphor (or similar cross-linguistic metaphors) and is not purely compositional, so comprehension is only partially predictable without exposure.

Etymology

The verb pass the baton comes from relay races where one runner passes a small stick, the baton, to the next runner. That clear image of handing the item along is why the phrase means 'to give responsibility or control to another person'.