offing

noun

off·​ing ˈȯ-fiŋ How to pronounce offing (audio)
ˈä-
1
: the part of the deep sea seen from the shore
2
: the near or foreseeable future
in the offing

Examples of offing in a Sentence

major changes are in the offing for the company
Recent Examples on the Web Instead of seeking comprehensive peace deals to demobilize the remaining groups, Petro appears to understand that there is no national peace deal in the offing. Elizabeth Dickinson, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2024 The last few months, with interest rate cuts in the offing, have been a big help, as utilities tend to rise as rates fall. Michael Foster, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 Kurzweil is spared the indignity of attempting to explain what this means, because the sixth epoch and its mysteries remain in the distant offing. Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 26 June 2024 But on Wednesday afternoon, members of both parties said that such an outcome was not in the immediate offing. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 5 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for offing 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

off entry 1

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of offing was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near offing

Cite this Entry

“Offing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offing. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

offing

noun
off·​ing ˈȯf-iŋ How to pronounce offing (audio)
ˈäf-
: the near future
sees trouble in the offing
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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