pass as
Be mistaken for
Pass as means to be accepted or perceived as something one is not, or not entirely: She could pass as a native speaker, The counterfeit bills passed as real currency.
The phrase often implies successful deception or disguise, whether intentional or not.
Historically, passing referred especially to light-skinned Black Americans living as white to escape discrimination.
- impersonateAssume another's identity
- purportClaimed meaning or intent
- mimicOne who copies others
- blend inBecome part of surroundings
- fly under the radarEvade attention deliberately
masquerade · assumed identity · disguise · hidden identity · fake it · pull it off · get away with · closeted · live a lie · mask · imitate · pretense · light-skinned · social mobility · code-switching · concealment · misidentification · pose