Cool MateCount me out vs Not interested vs Pass
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Count me out
Not interested
Pass
| Count me out | Not interested | Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //kaʊnt mi aʊt//🇺🇸 //kaʊnt mi aʊt// | 🇬🇧 //nɒt ˈɪntrəstɪd//🇺🇸 //nɑt ˈɪntrəstɪd// | 🇬🇧 /["/pɑːs/","/ˈpɑːsɪz/","/pɑːst/","/ˈpɑːsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pæs/","/ˈpæsɪz/","/pæst/","/ˈpæsɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Don't include me or involve me. | Don't want to know or be involved. | To move past something or someone, or to allow something to happen. |
| Example | When they planned the surprise party, I said to count me out. | When he asked if I wanted to join the club, I replied that I was not interested. | I will pass the ball to you during the game. |
| Register | Informal | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | ||
| Collocations | count me in, count out votes, count out money | clearly not interested, not interested at all, seem not interested, generally not interested, not interested in | quickly, rapidly, soon, help (to), quickly, rapidly, soon, help (to), unanimously, overwhelmingly, narrowly, by… to…, peacefully, come to, let something, between, pass unnoticed |
| Antonyms | - | - | stop, hold, block |
| Common mistakes | Using in formal contexts when it's not appropriate., Confusing with 'count me in', which means you want to participate., Not expressing your reasons for wanting to be excluded. | Using it in a formal conversation where politeness is needed., Confusing it with 'not interested in' when specifying a subject., Overusing it when a softer response is more appropriate. | Confusing 'pass' with 'past' in writing., Using 'pass' without an object when it requires one., Mixing up the different meanings of 'pass' in verbal contexts. |
| Usage notes | Use when you want to say you don't want to participate. It's informal, so avoid in formal situations. | Used in casual conversations to express disinterest. Avoid in formal situations. Can be blunt. | Commonly used in both casual and formal contexts. Can refer to physical movement or to allowing someone to take a turn (e.g., in games). Not typically used in very formal writing when describing decisions. |
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Frequently asked questions: Count me out vs Not interested vs Pass
What's the difference between Count me out, Not interested, and Pass?
Count me out: Don't include me or involve me. Not interested: Don't want to know or be involved. Pass: To move past something or someone, or to allow something to happen.
Which is more formal: Count me out, Not interested, and Pass?
Pass is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Count me out, Not interested, and Pass?
Pass is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Count me out: When they planned the surprise party, I said to count me out. Not interested: When he asked if I wanted to join the club, I replied that I was not interested. Pass: I will pass the ball to you during the game.
Can I use Count me out, Not interested, and Pass interchangeably?
Not always. Count me out, Not interested, and Pass are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.