variants
or less commonly off-line
1
: not connected to or served by a system and especially a computer or telecommunications system
One of the servers is offline.
… we suggest you keep a backup of your digital assets in offline storage, too. This storage can provide some cushioning if your online investment disappears in an instant.—
The Denver (Colorado) Post
The Denver (Colorado) Post
also
: done or occurring independently of such a system
our online and offline lives
offline activities/events
Movies and shows can be downloaded via the app for offline viewing. —Dan Auty
Dan Auty 2
of a person
: not available (as for communication) especially by way of the Internet
She was having computer trouble, she told him, and would be offline for a while.—Mark Warren
Mark Warren
off-line
adverb
Examples of offline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Their website is offline, and CBS News New York reached out to the owner, who did not return our calls.
—Katie Houlis, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Their motions are often planned offline and break down when real-world conditions change.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The chronically offline might not think there is much to a world of electricity behind our own.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Plenty of pop stars have been driven offline by their fans’ entitlement.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2026
But living in this offline bubble was its own kind of fantasy.
—Lee Tilghman, SELF, 28 Jan. 2026
Apple Watch Komoot App Strava is not the only popular fitness platform to get offline navigation right at the moment either.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The big issue is how much natural gas may go offline, with estimates ranging from 10 billion cubic feet to around 80bcf.
—Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
Plan for offline communication and limited cell service Download offline maps for your area.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Houlis, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Their motions are often planned offline and break down when real-world conditions change.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The chronically offline might not think there is much to a world of electricity behind our own.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Plenty of pop stars have been driven offline by their fans’ entitlement.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2026
But living in this offline bubble was its own kind of fantasy.
—Lee Tilghman, SELF, 28 Jan. 2026
Apple Watch Komoot App Strava is not the only popular fitness platform to get offline navigation right at the moment either.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The big issue is how much natural gas may go offline, with estimates ranging from 10 billion cubic feet to around 80bcf.
—Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
Plan for offline communication and limited cell service Download offline maps for your area.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offline. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offline
adjective
off·line
ˈȯ-ˈflīn 
1
: not connected to or controlled by a computer
an offline printer
2
: not available (as for communication) especially by way of the Internet
she was offline all day
off-line
adverb
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