It is a verb that has three uses.
The first is “to pass”. It is used to describe situations in which someone/something goes past something else/someone else.
The second is “to miss each other”. It is used to describe situations in which two people are supposed to meet, but they can’t because one of them is busy or something.
The third is ”to talk past each other”. It is used to describe situations in which you feel like two people are not speaking the same language.
Ken is looking for Tom at the office.
- Ken: I'd like to talk to Tom, but he isn't here. Have you seen him?
トムと話したいんだけど、いないんだよね。見た？ - Leo: I passed by him on the 20th floor a little while ago. I think he was about to attend the meeting, so he might go back to his seat after it finishes.
ちょっと前に、20階で擦れ違ったよ。会議に出席するところだったから、終わったら戻ってくるんじゃないかな。
Leo is asking Ken about his plans on the weekend.
- Leo: What are you doing this weekend? Are you going to see your girlfriend?
週末は何するの？彼女とデートか？ - Ken: No, we won’t see each other for a while.
いや、しばらく会わないよ。 - Leo: Why? What happened?
なんで？何かあったの？ - Ken: She is away on a business trip now and she won’t return until next week. But I am supposed to be very busy around that time. Hmm, it seems like we're always missing each other.
今(彼女は)出張だし、来週まで戻らない。でも、その頃には俺が忙しくなっているからね。んー、彼女とは擦れ違ってばっかり(*)なんだ。
Meg was supposed to eat for dinner with her boyfriend last night, but he blew it off.
- Meg: I can’t put up with his selfishness anymore!
もう彼のわがままには我慢できない！ - Amy: How come you’re angry?
どうしてそんなに怒っているの？ - Meg: I prepared his meal and waited for him to come home for more than 3 hours. But he ate out and drank with his clients. And then we had an argument.
食事作って、3時間以上も(彼が帰って来るのを)待っていたの。でも彼は、外でお客さんとご飯食べて、飲んできたんだよ。それで、喧嘩した。 - Amy: He should’ve told you about it before he went for a drink, right?
飲みに行く前に、連絡するべきだよね？ - Meg: Yeah. He thought that I was mad because he went out. But, I was upset because he didn’t tell me about it. Hmm, I always feel like we are not on the same page.
そう。彼は外食した事を、私が怒っていると思っているけど、私は彼が連絡しなかった事にイライラしている。あー、なんか、いつも話が擦れ違っている気がする。