1
a(1)
: from a place or position
march off
specifically
: away from land
ship stood off to sea
(2)
: at a distance in space or time
stood 10 paces off
a long way off
b
: from a course : aside
turned off into a bypath
specifically
: away from the wind
The ship eased off a point or two.
c
: into an unconscious state
dozed off
2
a
: so as to be separated from support
rolled to the edge of the table and off
or close contact
blew the lid off
the handle came off
b
: so as to be divided
surface marked off into squares
3
a
: to a state of discontinuance or suspension
shut off an engine
b
—used as an intensifier
drink off a glass
finish it off
4
: in absence from or suspension of regular work or service
take time off for lunch
5
: offstage
The actor turns and goes off.
1
a
—used as a function word to indicate physical separation or distance from a position of rest, attachment, or union
take it off the table
a path off the main walk
a shop just off the main street
b
: to seaward of
two miles off shore
2
: from the possession or charge of
had his wallet stolen off him
3
—used as a function word to indicate the object of an action
borrowed a dollar off him
dined off oysters
4
a
—used as a function word to indicate the suspension of an occupation or activity
off duty
off liquor
b
: below the usual standard or level of
off his game
2
a
: started on the way
off on a spree
b
: not taking place or staying in effect : canceled
the deal was off
c
: not operating
d
: not placed so as to permit operation
3
4
a
: spent off duty
reading on his off days
b
: marked by a periodic decline in activity or business
traveled in the off season for lower prices
5
6
: circumstanced
worse off
office; officer; official
ˌȯf
: competition : contest
cook-off
dance-off
Synonyms
Adverb
Adjective
- bad
- bastard
- bush
- bush-league
- crummy
- crumby
- deficient
- dissatisfactory
- ill
- inferior
- lame
- lousy
- paltry
- poor
- punk
- sour
- suboptimal
- subpar
- substandard
- unacceptable
- unsatisfactory
- wack [slang]
- wanting
- wretched
- wrong
Verb
Examples of off in a Sentence
Adverb
She put on her jacket and off she went.
The car turned off onto a side street.
Preposition
She is still living off her parents.
The family lives off welfare.
They live off the land.
They make their living off tourism.
Adjective
The lever is in the off position.
He is off playing golf.
She is off on a trip.
Verb
The movie is about a gangster who gets power by offing his rivals.
the hit man was rumored to have offed at least three people in the last year alone
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
His team concocted an idea where Tyler would walk vertically up a cliff wall, hang on to a ledge for dear life, then be blown across (and off) the stage by a simulated wind gust.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
Balancing a hair dryer and round brush for an at-home blowout is no easy feat, but this blowout brush by Adagio that’s 80 percent off is like having both in one device.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Even single losses have been ultra rare this season for the University of Arkansas, which was ranked No. 1 and off to the best start in school history at 30-3 after its 5-3 win over No. 17 Alabama on Friday.
—Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Right now, this high-quality spring staple is even on sale at Amazon for a whopping 44 percent off, bringing the price to just under $100.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
The team had never strung the two series together to get an entire week — with a day off, to boot, albeit a rainy one — to soak up whatever creature comforts a segment of their clubhouse struggles to find in their home from April to October.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
The day that artificial intelligence takes your job may be further off than most people think.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off).
—Adrienne So Gear Team, WIRED, 13 Apr. 2024
Morgan Enos, SPIN, 19 Apr. 2024
Assembly Democrats unveil their plan April 10, 2024 A nearby attendant, who was sitting on a packing crate in front of the cash register, jumps off and backpedals toward the corner of the store, where there appear to be two other employees.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024
Available in two-packs of pouches ($21) or a six-pack ($54), but for the rest of the month get 15% off using the code TODAY15.
—Mike Snider, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
The group's administrators have the ability to turn it off.
—CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
Lukas Nelson and Riley Green introduced Wilson, who threw herself into the performance of Keith’s swaggering anthem, a hit off his 1999 album of the same name.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
However, Kapoor warned these ingredients can strip off the thin skin layer on the lips, increasing the chances of lips drying out.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
Your wife, however, may be one of the few who is better off starting early.
—Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
As Brown got up and tried to stumble off, Singleton said, the group of five girls, who were walking nearby, saw the incident.
—Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Company officials have admitted Kleinfeld was one of several used in an off-books accounting system called Drousys that was used to pay bribes in exchange for public works contracts.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
After an off day in Detroit, the A’s play a three-game series against the Tigers, will be off Monday, then play three games in Texas against the defending World Series champion Rangers.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
His idea of a perfect off day is spending time with his extended family, sharing a large meal, and playing Bingo with his relatives.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
Most athletes don’t mess with success, particularly not on an off day in the middle of the season.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2024
And the idea of coasting or phoning it in or falling back on the merely physical during an off day repels her.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The Rays did a lot of subtracting this off season, but managed to keep most of the key pieces in place.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
Detroiters have seen three days of rain, a little off pace for the typical 13 in March but not entirely uncommon.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024
David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
However, what's even more ingenious in setting them apart from other horror villains is how the killer offs their victims by using the rules of horror films against them.
—Steven Thrash, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023
Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery
Scuttling Earth for at least 220 million years, turtles have survived more than one mass extinction, including the one that offed dinosaurs.
—Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
Season 3 revolves around Standish’s kidnapping after an AA meeting, and its ties to a MI5 cover-up that involves keeping their dirty laundry private by offing their own agents.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
According to Savage, there was pressure from the network to kill off someone important, and there was never any real thought about offing Seth (Adam Brody), Ryan (Ben McKenzie), or Sandy (Peter Gallagher).
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2023
Remember: Cats was a resounding flop, and Swift’s performance in Amsterdam only got a rise out of viewers when David O. Russell offed her.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023
Prigozhin’s rise and fall contains a certain gangland banality: a killer on the make, hired by other, more powerful killers to commit more of the same, at larger scale, is ultimately offed by those same killers.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2023
Simple Steps for Starting Your Business: Start-up Basics will be offed at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
—cleveland, 17 Feb. 2020
Adverb
Another front arriving from the west should help initiate a shower chance by afternoon that could last off and in into early Saturday.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
His team concocted an idea where Tyler would walk vertically up a cliff wall, hang on to a ledge for dear life, then be blown across (and off) the stage by a simulated wind gust.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
Balancing a hair dryer and round brush for an at-home blowout is no easy feat, but this blowout brush by Adagio that’s 80 percent off is like having both in one device.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Even single losses have been ultra rare this season for the University of Arkansas, which was ranked No. 1 and off to the best start in school history at 30-3 after its 5-3 win over No. 17 Alabama on Friday.
—Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 16 Apr. 2024
Right now, this high-quality spring staple is even on sale at Amazon for a whopping 44 percent off, bringing the price to just under $100.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
The team had never strung the two series together to get an entire week — with a day off, to boot, albeit a rainy one — to soak up whatever creature comforts a segment of their clubhouse struggles to find in their home from April to October.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
The day that artificial intelligence takes your job may be further off than most people think.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off).
—Adrienne So Gear Team, WIRED, 13 Apr. 2024
Preposition
Engulfed in the Sturm und Drang of the rest of Dark Matter, this slightly ungainly quasi-lullaby could potentially come off as corny and off-script.
—Morgan Enos, SPIN, 19 Apr. 2024
Assembly Democrats unveil their plan April 10, 2024 A nearby attendant, who was sitting on a packing crate in front of the cash register, jumps off and backpedals toward the corner of the store, where there appear to be two other employees.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024
Available in two-packs of pouches ($21) or a six-pack ($54), but for the rest of the month get 15% off using the code TODAY15.
—Mike Snider, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
The group's administrators have the ability to turn it off.
—CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
Lukas Nelson and Riley Green introduced Wilson, who threw herself into the performance of Keith’s swaggering anthem, a hit off his 1999 album of the same name.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
However, Kapoor warned these ingredients can strip off the thin skin layer on the lips, increasing the chances of lips drying out.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
Your wife, however, may be one of the few who is better off starting early.
—Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
As Brown got up and tried to stumble off, Singleton said, the group of five girls, who were walking nearby, saw the incident.
—Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Set to host the Diamondbacks for four games, followed by a weekend set against the Mets, the team doesn’t have another off day until next Thursday.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Company officials have admitted Kleinfeld was one of several used in an off-books accounting system called Drousys that was used to pay bribes in exchange for public works contracts.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
After an off day in Detroit, the A’s play a three-game series against the Tigers, will be off Monday, then play three games in Texas against the defending World Series champion Rangers.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
His idea of a perfect off day is spending time with his extended family, sharing a large meal, and playing Bingo with his relatives.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
Most athletes don’t mess with success, particularly not on an off day in the middle of the season.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2024
And the idea of coasting or phoning it in or falling back on the merely physical during an off day repels her.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The Rays did a lot of subtracting this off season, but managed to keep most of the key pieces in place.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
Detroiters have seen three days of rain, a little off pace for the typical 13 in March but not entirely uncommon.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
Yet sadly, when one’s entire career is built on such an efficient way of offing another who is (or isn’t) guilty, and that disappears, other forms of corporal punishment don’t satisfy in the same way.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
However, what's even more ingenious in setting them apart from other horror villains is how the killer offs their victims by using the rules of horror films against them.
—Steven Thrash, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023
Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery
Scuttling Earth for at least 220 million years, turtles have survived more than one mass extinction, including the one that offed dinosaurs.
—Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
Season 3 revolves around Standish’s kidnapping after an AA meeting, and its ties to a MI5 cover-up that involves keeping their dirty laundry private by offing their own agents.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
According to Savage, there was pressure from the network to kill off someone important, and there was never any real thought about offing Seth (Adam Brody), Ryan (Ben McKenzie), or Sandy (Peter Gallagher).
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2023
Remember: Cats was a resounding flop, and Swift’s performance in Amsterdam only got a rise out of viewers when David O. Russell offed her.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023
Prigozhin’s rise and fall contains a certain gangland banality: a killer on the make, hired by other, more powerful killers to commit more of the same, at larger scale, is ultimately offed by those same killers.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2023
Simple Steps for Starting Your Business: Start-up Basics will be offed at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
—cleveland, 17 Feb. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near off
Cite this Entry
“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
off
1 of 3 adverb1
a
: from a place or position
march off
stood 10 paces off
drove the dogs off
b
: from a course : aside
turned off onto a side street
c
: into an unconscious state
dozed off
2
: so as to be separated from support or close contact
rolled to the edge of the table and off
the handle came off
3
: so as to be divided
surface marked off into squares
4
: so as to be stopped or finished
shut off an engine
a coat of paint to finish it off
5
: away from work
took the day off
off
2 of 3 preposition(ˈ)ȯf
1
: away from the surface, position, or place of
take it off the table
the ball bounced off the wall
a path off the main road
2
—used to indicate the object of an action
borrowed a dollar off him
living off my parents
3
a
: released or freed from
off duty
b
: below the usual level of
off her game
a dollar off the price
off
3 of 3 adjective(ˈ)ȯf
1
a
: not left : right
the off horse
b
: more distant
the off side of the building
2
: started on the way
off on a trip
they're off and running
3
a
: not taking place
the game is off
b
: not operating
the radio is off
4
5
: being not as busy as usual
liked to vacation during the off season
6
a
: not very good : poor
an off grade of oil
b
: below or down from the normal
stocks were off
offered at 15% off
7
: provided for or taken care of
we were better off before
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