offshore

1 of 3

adverb

off·​shore ˈȯf-ˈshȯr 

1

: from the shore : seaward

also : at a distance from the shore

2

: outside the country : abroad

offshore

2 of 3

adjective

off·​shore ˈȯf-ˌshȯr 

1

: coming or moving away from the shore toward the water

an offshore breeze

2

a

: situated off the shore but within waters under a country's control

offshore fisheries

b

: distant from the shore compare inshore

3

: situated or operating in a foreign country

offshore mutual funds

offshore banking

offshore

3 of 3

preposition

off·​shore ˈȯf-ˌshȯr 

: off the shore of

Synonyms

Adjective

• alongshore
• coastal
• inshore
• littoral
• nearshore
• shoreside

Examples of offshore in a Sentence

Adjective

We sailed to an offshore island.

He works on an offshore oil rig.

They opened an offshore bank account.

He traced the money to an offshore investment company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Top 5 Can’t Miss Andros is home to the most blue holes in the world, accessible both inland and offshore. —Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2024

Five days earlier, on August 19, 1942, in the waters of the English Channel, troops from the Allied nations prepared small vessels offshore to conduct a raid on the beaches of Dieppe, France. —Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1942, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

offshore

1 of 2 adverb

off·​shore ˈȯf-ˈshō(ə)r 

-ˈshȯ(ə)r

: from the shore : at a distance from the shore

offshore

2 of 2 adjective

off·​shore ˈȯf-ˌshō(ə)r 

-ˌshȯ(ə)r

1

: coming or moving away from the shore

an offshore breeze

2

: located off the shore

offshore islands

an offshore oil rig