off the shelf
1 of 2phrase
: available from stock : not made to order
off the shelf equipment
: available as a stock item : not specially designed or custom-made
off-the-shelf software
Examples of off the shelf in a Sentence
Adjective
she chose to have her computer designed to her specifications rather than buying an off-the-shelf machine
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Neuman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
Technical precision and fuel flexibility The SOLO reactor, developed over six years since 2018 by nuclear safety and R&D experts, uses primarily off-the-shelf commercial components.
—Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Some autonomous shuttles use off-the-shelf gaming controllers, which—while inexpensive—were never designed for vehicle control.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
The brand makes great looking e-bikes from off-the-shelf parts supported by a robust service network.
—Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off the shelf
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Adjective
Massively outgunned at the start of the war, Kyiv's forces used off-the-shelf first-person view (FPV) drones, which use cameras to home in on targets and drop simple munitions on Russian tanks and armored vehicles — with stunning success.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
Technical precision and fuel flexibility The SOLO reactor, developed over six years since 2018 by nuclear safety and R&D experts, uses primarily off-the-shelf commercial components.
—Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026
Some autonomous shuttles use off-the-shelf gaming controllers, which—while inexpensive—were never designed for vehicle control.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
The brand makes great looking e-bikes from off-the-shelf parts supported by a robust service network.
—Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off the shelf
Cite this Entry
“Off the shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20the%20shelf. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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