offset; offsetting; offsets
1
a
: to place over against something : balance
credits offset debits
b
: to serve as a counterbalance for : compensate
his speed offset his opponent's greater weight
2
: to form an offset in
offset a wall
: to become marked by offset
1
: something that serves to counterbalance or to compensate for something else
demands conspicuous offsets to the enemy's successes
especially
: either of two balancing ledger items
2
a(1)
: a short prostrate (see prostrate entry 1 sense 3) lateral shoot arising from the base of a plant
(2)
: a small bulb arising from the base of another bulb
b
: a lateral or collateral (see collateral entry 2 sense 2) branch (as of a family or race) : offshoot
c
: a spur (see spur entry 1 sense 4a) from a range of hills
3
a
: a printing process in which an inked impression from a plate is first made on a rubber-blanketed cylinder and then transferred to the paper being printed
b
: unintentional transfer of ink (as from a freshly printed sheet)
4
a
b
: a horizontal ledge on the face of a wall formed by a diminution of its thickness above
c
: an abrupt change in the dimension or profile of an object (such as a bowl) or the part set off by such change
5
: something that sets off to advantage or embellishes something else : foil
The clown was a humorous offset in the play.
6
: an abrupt bend in an object (such as a pipe or a rod) by which one part is turned aside out of line
offset
adjective or adverb
Synonyms
Examples of offset in a Sentence
Verb
Gains in one area offset losses in another.
The limited storage space in the house is offset by the large garage.
Noun
a better performance this time will be an offset to last year's dismal showing
symptoms that were striking for their abrupt onset and their equally abrupt offset
Recent Examples on the Web
David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Some Republicans have rebuffed Biden’s promise to pay the entire bridge cost with federal dollars, demanding that any funding be fully offset with spending cuts.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Declining forest loss in Brazil and Colombia was largely offset by greater losses elsewhere, Global Forest Watch director Mikaela Weisse told a press briefing.
—Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
The loss of Mayman’s jetpack is offset by the tantalizing prospect of a flying motorcycle.
—J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2024
Elements with lines or elements oriented up or down can guide the viewer’s eye through the image, and elements can pull focus to or offset the subject.
—Douglas Goodwin, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
That'd be offset by a growing number of state and federal rebates and tax credits that encourage decarbonization.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024
For example, the first step that individuals and corporations can take to contribute to sustainability is to measure their carbon footprint and offset it.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Of course, OpenAI and its Big Tech rivals have the deep pockets to fund their ambitions and can offset their money-losing AI products by bundling them with their non-AI products that make money.
—Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Simi Thambi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Corsair is also the developer and issuer of the world's leading plastic waste offset program, the CSR Plastic Credit.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024
Measuring emissions by intensity means a company can technically increase its fossil fuel output and overall emissions while using offsets or adding renewable energy or biofuels to its product mix.
—Reuters, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
Saari said the pitch – the steep part of the hill – on the second run was challenging Tuesday due to the big offsets between turns.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Feb. 2024
Claudia Herbert, a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley and a specialist on the crossover between blockchain and carbon offsetting, cites the issue of offsets of HFC-23.
—Andrew Kersley, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
Youngkin, who withdrew the state from RGGI last year, calls that money a $500 million tax on consumers, arguing that power generators pass on the cost of carbon offsets.
—Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
The White House issued a veto threat against Johnson's $17.6 billion Israel aid bill despite its lack of spending offsets.
—Elizabeth Elkind, Fox News, 7 Feb. 2024
That involves a four-step method: measuring what matters most, optimizing those metrics, deploying A.I. to accelerate retrofits, and using offsets and financing to make retrofits more attractive to operators.
—Nick Rockel, Fortune, 18 Jan. 2024
Verb
Targeting the rich If Congress decides that some or all the cost of renewed a tax cut needs to be offset, which party has the majority and whether the White House is occupied by Trump or Biden will have an enormous impact.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Some Republicans have rebuffed Biden’s promise to pay the entire bridge cost with federal dollars, demanding that any funding be fully offset with spending cuts.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Declining forest loss in Brazil and Colombia was largely offset by greater losses elsewhere, Global Forest Watch director Mikaela Weisse told a press briefing.
—Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
The loss of Mayman’s jetpack is offset by the tantalizing prospect of a flying motorcycle.
—J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2024
Elements with lines or elements oriented up or down can guide the viewer’s eye through the image, and elements can pull focus to or offset the subject.
—Douglas Goodwin, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
That'd be offset by a growing number of state and federal rebates and tax credits that encourage decarbonization.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024
For example, the first step that individuals and corporations can take to contribute to sustainability is to measure their carbon footprint and offset it.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Of course, OpenAI and its Big Tech rivals have the deep pockets to fund their ambitions and can offset their money-losing AI products by bundling them with their non-AI products that make money.
—Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
Preparing for all outcomes is essential; therefore, carbon offsets are significant.
—Simi Thambi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Corsair is also the developer and issuer of the world's leading plastic waste offset program, the CSR Plastic Credit.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024
Measuring emissions by intensity means a company can technically increase its fossil fuel output and overall emissions while using offsets or adding renewable energy or biofuels to its product mix.
—Reuters, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
Saari said the pitch – the steep part of the hill – on the second run was challenging Tuesday due to the big offsets between turns.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Feb. 2024
Claudia Herbert, a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley and a specialist on the crossover between blockchain and carbon offsetting, cites the issue of offsets of HFC-23.
—Andrew Kersley, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
Youngkin, who withdrew the state from RGGI last year, calls that money a $500 million tax on consumers, arguing that power generators pass on the cost of carbon offsets.
—Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
The White House issued a veto threat against Johnson's $17.6 billion Israel aid bill despite its lack of spending offsets.
—Elizabeth Elkind, Fox News, 7 Feb. 2024
That involves a four-step method: measuring what matters most, optimizing those metrics, deploying A.I. to accelerate retrofits, and using offsets and financing to make retrofits more attractive to operators.
—Nick Rockel, Fortune, 18 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Verb
1673, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 7b
Phrases Containing offset
Articles Related to offset
Dictionary Entries Near offset
Cite this Entry
“Offset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offset. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
offset
1 of 2 noun
off·set
ˈȯf-ˌset 
1
: a short shoot arising from the base of a plant and growing flat on the ground
2
: something that serves to make up for something else
offset
2 of 2 verb
off·set
ˈȯf-ˌset
also ȯf-ˈset
offset; offsetting
: to make up for
gains in one state offset losses in another
Legal Definition
offset
2 of 2 transitive verb
off·set
ˌȯf-ˈset
: to balance, reduce, or calculate by reference to another amount
offset the debt against a credit
More from Merriam-Webster on offset
Nglish: Translation of offset for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of offset for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share