bypass
gb/bˈaɪpˌæs/ us/bˈaɪpˌæs/
B1
English
~ 6000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
avoid a person, rule, or system
to avoid a person, rule, or system and do something in a different way from the normal way
Usage pattern:
to bypass [a rule / a person / a system]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "bypass" with "pass by". "Bypass" means to avoid something, often on purpose, usually to reach your goal more quickly (e.g., "bypass the rules"). "Pass by" usually means simply to go past something without the idea of avoiding a system or rule (e.g., "We passed by the museum").
Synonyms
circumvent (more formal; often used in legal, technical, or bureaucratic contexts.)
|
sidestep (slightly informal and often suggests avoiding responsibility or a difficult issue.)
Antonyms
obey (means to follow rules or authority rather than avoiding them.)
Collocations
bypass the rules
|bypass security
|bypass the system
|bypass restrictions
|bypass official channels
|bypass a problem
Themes
work
|law
|technology
Examples
- They tried to bypass the rules by registering the company in another country.
- You can bypass customer support and email the manager directly.
- The hackers managed to bypass the security checks on the website.
- We found a way to bypass the lengthy approval process.
- Some users bypass the paywall by opening articles in a private browser window.
Learner examples
- He tried to bypass the rules to finish the job faster.
- The company found a way to bypass the tax system.
- She bypassed her boss and spoke to the director.
- The app lets you bypass the password screen.
- They used a trick to bypass the school’s internet filter.
Verb
B2
action
2
go around a place or obstacle
to travel around a town or thing instead of going through it
Usage pattern:
to bypass [a town / an area / traffic / congestion]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "bypass" when "pass by" is enough. Use "bypass" when you choose a different route to avoid a place ("We bypassed the town"), not just when you move past something normally ("We passed by the town").
Synonyms
go around (more informal and very general; does not strongly suggest roads or planned routes.)
Antonyms
go through (means to pass inside or within a town or area instead of avoiding it.)
Collocations
bypass the city
|bypass heavy traffic
|bypass downtown
|bypass the main road
|bypass congestion
Themes
travel
|transport
|transportation
Examples
- We decided to bypass the city and take the smaller country roads.
- This trail lets hikers bypass the steepest part of the mountain.
- To save time, trucks bypass the town center completely.
- The new railway line bypasses several small villages.
- Most drivers bypass the toll road during holidays.
Learner examples
- We took a small road to bypass the city.
- The new train line bypasses my town.
- Many cars bypass the old bridge now.
- The path bypasses the busy street.
- Drivers bypass traffic by using this road.
Noun
B1
entity
3
road around a town
a road that goes around a town so cars do not drive through the middle of the town
Usage pattern:
to take [the / a] bypass
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the verb and noun forms. "Bypass" as a noun usually needs an article: "the bypass" or "a bypass" when talking about a road.
Synonyms
ring road (often a road that goes all the way around a city, not just around one side.)
Antonyms
main road (the central road, often going through the town instead of around it.)
Collocations
take the bypass
|build a bypass
|the city bypass
|a new bypass road
|bypass route
Themes
travel
|transport
|transportation
Examples
- We took the bypass to avoid the traffic lights in the town center.
- The new bypass has reduced congestion in the city.
- Local businesses are worried that the bypass will take customers away from the high street.
- The government announced funding for a bypass around the village.
- The bypass connects directly to the motorway.
Learner examples
- Take the bypass if you want to save time.
- They built a new bypass around the town.
- The bypass is faster than the old road.
- Trucks must use the bypass, not the city streets.
- The bypass joins the main highway here.
Noun
technical
B2
action
4
medical operation to reroute blood
a medical operation where doctors make a new path for blood to move around a blocked blood tube, usually in the heart
Usage pattern:
to have [a / a triple] bypass
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "bypass" alone always means heart surgery. In medical contexts it often does, but outside medicine, "bypass" can mean avoiding rules or going around a place.
Synonyms
bypass surgery (more explicit; clearly states that it is a surgical procedure.)
Collocations
bypass surgery
|coronary bypass
|gastric bypass
|triple bypass
|have a bypass
Themes
health
|medicine
|body
Examples
- He had a heart bypass last year and is recovering well.
- The surgeon recommended a triple bypass to restore blood flow.
- Bypass surgery is often used when arteries are badly blocked.
- After the bypass, she needed several months of rehabilitation.
- Gastric bypass is a type of weight-loss surgery.
Learner examples
- My uncle had a heart bypass in June.
- The doctor says he needs bypass surgery.
- She had a triple bypass and stayed in hospital for two weeks.
- A bypass can help when an artery is blocked.
- Gastric bypass is a serious operation.
unknown
technical
C1
entity
5
extra path for flow or current
an extra pipe or line that lets liquid, gas, or electricity move around the main line
Usage pattern:
a bypass for [fluid / current / gas]
Synonyms
shunt (often used in electronics or medical contexts; more technical and specialized.)
Antonyms
main line (the primary route for flow, not the extra or alternative one.)
Collocations
bypass valve
|bypass line
|bypass circuit
|install a bypass
|oil bypass
Themes
engineering
|technology
|science
Examples
- The system uses a bypass valve to protect the pump from overpressure.
- Engineers added a bypass line to keep water flowing during maintenance.
- An electrical bypass was installed to route current around the damaged section.
- The filter has a built‑in bypass for emergencies.
- Oil flows through the bypass when the main channel is blocked.
Learner examples
- The machine has a bypass valve for safety.
- We installed a bypass line next to the main pipe.
- An electrical bypass sends power around the broken part.
- The pump stops, but water can still move through the bypass.
- The bypass opens when the main line is blocked.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bypass
IPA
GB/bˈaɪpˌæs/
US/bˈaɪpˌæs/
Syllables & stress
by - pass (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (by)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bypass
- Plural: bypasses
Verb
- Base: bypass
- 3rd Person Singular: bypasses
- Present Participle: bypassing
- Past: bypassed
Word family
Expressions
bypass road
1/bˈaɪpˌæs ɹˈoʊd/
fixed phrase
road that goes around town
a road that takes cars around a town, not through the middle
Examples
- The new bypass road has reduced traffic in the old town.
- Trucks are required to use the bypass road during the day.
bypass security
1/bˈaɪpˌæs sɪkjˈʊɹɪti/
fixed phrase
get past security controls
to find a way to get past security checks or systems without permission
Examples
- The hackers bypassed security and accessed the company database.
- You must not try to bypass security on the school computers.
bypass surgery
1/bˈaɪpˌæs sˈɚd͡ʒɚi/
fixed phrase
operation to reroute blood flow
a medical operation where doctors make a new way for blood to move around a blocked blood tube, usually in the heart
Examples
- He is going into hospital for bypass surgery next week.
- Bypass surgery is often used to treat serious heart disease.
bypass the rules
1/bˈaɪpˌæs ðə ɹˈulz/
fixed phrase
avoid following the rules
to find a way not to follow the rules and still get what you want
Examples
- They tried to bypass the rules by registering the car in another state.
- Employees sometimes bypass the rules to finish the project on time.
bypass valve
1/bˈaɪpˌæs vˈælv/
fixed phrase
technical
valve controlling bypass flow
a valve that controls how liquid or gas moves through an extra line around the main line
Examples
- The bypass valve opens automatically when the pressure is too high.
- Engineers installed a bypass valve to protect the pump.
coronary bypass
1/kˈɔɹənˌɛɹi bˈaɪpˌæs/
fixed phrase
technical
bypass of heart arteries
a type of heart operation where blood is moved around blocked heart arteries
Examples
- Her father had a coronary bypass after his heart attack.
- Coronary bypass procedures have become much safer in recent decades.
gastric bypass
1/ɡˈæstɹɪk bˈaɪpˌæs/
fixed phrase
technical
weight‑loss bypass operation
an operation to help very overweight people lose weight by making the stomach smaller and changing the path of food
Examples
- After years of dieting, she decided to have a gastric bypass.
- Gastric bypass can lead to rapid weight loss but also carries risks.
heart bypass
1/hˈɑɹt bˈaɪpˌæs/
fixed phrase
general term for heart bypass
a common way to say a bypass operation on the heart
Examples
- My grandfather had a heart bypass last winter.
- Doctors said a heart bypass was necessary to improve blood flow.
take the bypass
1/tˈeɪk ðə bˈaɪpˌæs/
fixed phrase
use the road around town
to drive on the road around a town, not through the town
Examples
- If you’re in a hurry, take the bypass.
- We took the bypass to avoid the morning traffic.
triple bypass
1/tɹˈɪpəl bˈaɪpˌæs/
fixed phrase
bypass of three heart arteries
a heart operation where doctors make three new paths for blood around three blocked arteries
Examples
- He survived a triple bypass at the age of 72.
- The surgeon explained that a triple bypass was the best option.