Idiom

pass the buck

idiom (verb phrase) C1

UK /pɑːs ðə bʌk/

US /pæs ðə bʌk/

Meanings

idiom (verb phrase)

To shift responsibility or blame to another person; to avoid taking responsibility yourself.

Definition

To pass the buck means to shift responsibility or blame to someone else instead of dealing with it yourself.

If you pass the buck, you avoid taking responsibility for a decision, problem, or mistake and try to make another person handle it. It often suggests unfairly blaming someone else or refusing to take ownership. The phrase is common in workplaces and politics when people want to avoid consequences.

Examples

When the project failed, the manager tried to pass the buck to the interns.
Don’t pass the buck—own the mistake and fix it.
The customer service rep kept passing the buck from one department to another.
Politicians often pass the buck when the policy causes problems.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes use it for physically giving money, but pass the buck is about shifting responsibility or blame, not handing over cash.